Talk by Maria Adele Carrai, New York University Shanghai on Belt and Road Initiative: The Suez Crisis and Trade Shifts in Central Asia

Cambridge Central Asia Forum invites you to a special seminar with

Maria Adele Carrai, New York University Shanghai

on

Belt and Road Initiative: The Suez Crisis and Trade Shifts in Central Asia

Date: 8 March

Time: 11am

Venue: SG2, Alison Richard Building 

Zoom Registration: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIrf-uhrz8sG9ToxANGS2trU5JbGLSpmw-A#/registration

Abstract: This talk delves into the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Central Asia, focusing on the implication of the recent Suez Canal crisis. It begins by examining China's "Eurasian dream," which serves as the driving force behind the BRI, envisioning a network of connectivity and prosperity reminiscent of the historical Silk Road. It looks at the main BRI projects in Central Asia, delving into the BRI's impact on China's relationships with key regional stakeholders, particularly Europe and Russia. It examines how the initiative has influenced regional dynamics, fostering cooperation in some areas while potentially creating new sources of tension in others. In light of the vulnerabilities highlighted by the Suez crisis, the lecture scrutinizes whether China's emphasis on land-based infrastructure, such as railways and economic corridors in Central Asia, was, in the end, a successful strategy. By critically evaluating the BRI's trajectory and its relevance post-Suez, this lecture aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of its effects on trade patterns, regional politics, and China's role in shaping the future of Central Asia and Eurasia.

Biography: Maria Adele Carrai is an Assistant Professor of Global China Studies at NYU Shanghai. Her research explores the history of international law in East Asia and investigates how China’s rise as a global power shapes norms and redefines the international distribution of power. She co-leads the Research Initiative 'Mapping Global China,' and is the author of Sovereignty in China. A Geneology of a Concept since 1840 (CUP 2019) and co-editor of The China Questions 2 - Critical Insights into US-China Relations (HUP 2022). Before joining NYU Shanghai, she was a recipient of a three-year Marie-Curie fellowship at KU Leuven. She was also a Fellow at the Italian Academy of Columbia University, Princeton-Harvard China and the World Program, Max Weber Program of the European University Institute of Florence, and New York University Law School.

Everyone is welcome.