The Reincarnation of the Silk Road and the Influence of Transportation to Economic Development: The Case of Central Asia and Uzbekistan

Abstract

After three decades of rapid economic growth, China is experiencing shortages of energy resources in domestic production. The initiative to revive The New Silk Road project is to secure access to cheap supplied sources from Central Asia. Although Central Asian countries understand the hazards of exploitation of natural resources, they are willing to receive investments from China that would, it is hoped, equalize their economy with the world market as the growth of those countries has been undeveloped for the last 25 years.

Despite the wide range of development investments in Central Asia and Uzbekistan, this thesis research will focus on transportation infrastructures and cross-border developments across the region by determining possible obstacles to and opportunities for realising the project in practice. The theoretical evidence will assist in the assessment of those projects by providing real case examples.

A fundamental overview of OBOR initiatives in this thesis research provides a clear understanding of the intentions behind the project while presenting the possibilities of gaining mutual economic advantages for both China and Central Asian regions.