{"id":4954,"date":"2017-06-19T13:54:38","date_gmt":"2017-06-19T12:54:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/focus.cbbc.org\/?p=4954"},"modified":"2021-03-02T02:14:31","modified_gmt":"2021-03-02T02:14:31","slug":"book-review-chinas-asian-dream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focus.cbbc.org\/book-review-chinas-asian-dream\/","title":{"rendered":"Book Review: China\u2019s Asian Dream\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

China\u2019s Asian Dream: Empire Building Along the New Silk Road by Tom Miller <\/strong><\/h1>\n

Long-time China resident, writer and journalist Tom Miller spent three years travelling around Asia along the various Belt and Road corridors to report from the front line on the effects, costs and consequences of China\u2019s Belt and Road initiative.<\/p>\n

In this excellent book, he manages to bring together China\u2019s great ambitions for economic expansion and, as the sub-title says, empire building.<\/p>\n

The book starts off with forensic research into the various ways the initiative is being funded, explaining how the failings of the established international financial institutions, such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, have left China\u2019s new Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank and the country\u2019s many well-funded, state-owned and private banks to fill the void.<\/p>\n

The benefits for China are obvious. It has enabled Chinese construction companies to carry out the work and for them to use the oversupply of building materials. Crucially, it has allowed China\u2019s poorer western regions to trade efficiently with their neighbours. A more economically and politically stable region will enable everyone to benefit, it is argued. However the growth of China\u2019s sphere of influence is also very much a key ambition.<\/p>\n