Daily Times

China has initiated the revival of land and maritime silk routes. The paths are not much different from the ones which led silk routes through sea and land. However, the sources of communication are different. Old silk road started from China, and the new one follows the same pattern.

However, the awareness of countries about their interests, the intention behind the revival of the silk road, the location of the countries on the road and strategic and economic importance of seas falling on the route may matter in the global affairs. It will undoubtedly influence Japan as well.

Silk Road provided a path for international trading and journey from Asia to Africa and Europe. Humanity, religions, cultures and knowledge travelled from one corner of the world to another. The conquerors used it for the conquest of the distant areas. It was the first source of connection and communication between the East and the West. However, the West reciprocated the efforts and competed the East by taking strides of development. Soon it also attended the zenith. This trade and communication did not restrict to land but maritime silk route as well which multiplied the trade.

The ‘Silk Road’ came into being in the first century BC. It got its name ‘Silk’ from the commodity of silk produced and exported by China. It is the translation of a German word Seidenstraße which was first used by German geographer Ferdinand von Richthofen in the 19th century. The Silk Road was 10,000 miles; some say 7000 miles, long international highway. It was a series of roads connecting China, Eastern Europe, Crimean Peninsula, Central Asia, North Africa, countries around the Mediterranean Sea and terminated in Japan. The continental Silk Road diverged into North and South routes as it extended from the commercial centres of North China to Eastern Europe and the Crimean Peninsula, and passing through the Marmara Sea, the Black Sea and the Balkans to Venice. The southern route went across Turkestan-Khorasan through Iran into Mesopotamia and Anatolia, and then the Mediterranean Sea or through Egypt into North Africa. Different routes of Silk Road ran about for 3,000 years.

Japan was amongst the beneficiaries of silk routes. The silk road benefitted it economically, religiously and culturally. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, “Japan is one of the major countries in the eastern terminus of the historical Silk Roads that is well-known throughout the ages for its traditions, wealth and stunning art while it was far from the foreign visitors’ access.” Goods from Central Asia made their way to Japan on the Silk Road via China and Korea. By the Nara period (710 to 794 AD), trade links between Japan and Central Asia on the Silk Road were well established. Items from the Middle East and even Europe made their way to Japan.

During the rule of Qin Shi Huang in China, many Chinese fled to Korea. They introduced the technology of silkworms and its breading there. Subsequently, the technology found its way to Japan during the days of Han dynasty. During the suzerainty of Tang dynasty, the silk produced was shipped from Korea directly to Japan.

The Silk Road was the primary source of bringing Buddhism to Japan. It reached there by the end of the sixth century. The Japanese followers of Buddhism travelled to the province of Xianning, China. They also used maritime silk road.

Silk route through sea started in about first century AD. It began from Vietnam and extended to the Red Sea passing through the East China Sea and the South China Sea. The Japanese scholar gave it a name in 1967 to differentiate it from the land Silk Road.

China has initiated One Belt One Road project. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a part of it. It is more or less on the same land and sea routes where old Silk routes thrived and survived. The East China Sea and the South China Sea are on the route of the mega initiative.

There is a territorial dispute between China and Japan on Sensaku islands located in the East China Sea. The sea possesses enormous valuable resources. China, Japan, South Korea and other countries are competitors with one another on these possible natural resources available in the East China Sea. Japan spotted Chinese submarine near the disputed islands in January 2018 in East China. Before this, a Chinese trawler collided petrol boats of Japanese Coast Guards in 2010. Japan arrested an operator of trawler Zhan Qixiong which caused protests of fishers in China.

The new silk routes through land and sea will shape the future relations of Japan and China. Both countries can derive maximum benefit by maintaining cordial bilateral relations

The South China Sea is important for Japan, China and other countries. Japan provides about 10 percent of the global fisheries catch and ships from the South China Sea and imports oil, liquified natural gas and coal through it.

China’s influence in the South China Sea and the East China Sea may endanger the interests of Japan. Moreover, the controversy on the islands may aggravate the bilateral and multilateral relations between the two countries. However, fate will be decided by the role of geoeconomics at regional, continental and international levels.

Japan has strategic and economic interests in the Arabian sea. The Strait of Hormuz is located at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, and the Strait of Malacca is a source of maritime traffic between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. It is also essential for China, South Korea and Singapore. According to one report, the strait is one of the busiest channels in the world. Japan imports oil from different countries through this strait also.

Both the countries are making efforts to improve their relations. The summit meetings between the two nations have opened doors of dialogue. However, the new silk routes through land and sea will shape the future relations of Japan and China. It depends upon the policies and strategies of both the countries to take maximum benefit by maintaining cordial bilateral and multilateral relations.

The writer is an author and has a doctorate in Political Science

Published in Daily Times, April 8^th 2018.