Affairs of the HeartlandKhanna

Shad Whitesell

The Silk RoadThe original Silk Road is an extensive interconnected network of trade routes across the Asian ContinentConnected East South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean WorldNamed coined by Ferdinand von Richtofen in 1877The roads consisted of 4,000 miles Served as a conduit for spread of ideas, cultures, and diseases

Silk road- land routes in red water in blue

The Silk Road - Reopened

China is in process of rebuilding this trade network under its control.Under the charter of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), China has taken the lead to coordinate with all the country-states in the areaBuilt first new rail system linking all of the territories.

New rail station in Tianjin, China

First new transcontintenal project since 1916

Will eventually link to Europe

Change of HeartChina winning the Great Game

Continuation of the Silk Road will lead to open borders

Power and commerce in area will flow back to ChinaCooperation in Area will lead to power for the border states.Will lead to emergence of new global market as Europeans will have easier access to Chinese goods

SourcesThe Second World – Parag Khannahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silk_Roadhttp://www.newsweek.com/id/237306