The Digital Silk Road and Its Role in Sustainable Development

Vahedi, Mohammad Reza; Sayadi, Mohammad Kazem

doi:10.22034/jtd.2021.249341

The Digital Silk Road and Its Role in Sustainable Development

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Mohammad Reza Vahedi ¹

Mohammad Kazem Sayadi ²

¹ ICT Research institute

² ICT Research Institute

10.22034/jtd.2021.249341

Abstract

China has sought to shift the center of gravity of the world economy from the West to the Asian continent with its focus and expand its sphere of influence in various economic, political, and geographical areas on an international scale. The Digital Silk Road project is designed as the foundation of China’s digital economy, in line with such goals, which can also have a great impact on the geopolitical situation of Iran. Digital Silk Road project uses technologies that are considered as the foundation of a digital economy. These technologies include communication infrastructure and information technologies. The participation or non-participation of countries in this plan can have a great impact on their development, reducing digital divide and improving local capacities. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of the Digital Silk Road on sustainable development. Therefore, the plan is analyzed from the economic, political, social, and technological perspectives using the PEST method framework, and then its role in sustainable development is explained. Given Iran's strong presence in the project, it can be expected that its role in international policy and digital governance will increase and connect the country to the global value chain in terms of economic and technological aspects.

Keywords

Digital Silk Road

Economic

Political

Social and Technological Impacts

Sustainable Development

Digital Governance

20.1001.1.26765403.1400.19.46.5.2

صالحی، مختار؛ "ابتکار راه ابریشم جدید چین و راهبرد اتحادیه اروپا"، فصلنامه پژوهشهای‌ راهبردی‌ سیاست، ‌سال‌هشتم، ‌شماره 30‌، 1398.
China Global Investment Tracker; American Enterprise Institute, Washington, D.C., 2021.
EURASIA group;The Digital Silk Road: Expanding China’s Digital Footprint, 8 April 2
Forough, M. B.; “The Digital Silk Road: Perspectives from Affected Countries”, The Leiden Asia Centre, July 2021.
Full text of Joint Statement on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between I.R. Iran, P.R. China, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran website, Jan. 23, 2016.
Ghiasy, R.; Krishnamurthy, ; China’s Digital Silk Road and the Global Digital Order, the diplomat, April 13, 2021.
Guterres, A.; Remarks at the opening of the Belt and Road Forum, 14 May
https://green-bri.org/countries-of-the-belt-and-road-initiative-bri
https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/227496/special-report-infrastructure.pdf
https://www.beltroad-initiative.com/belt-and-road/
https://www.csis.org/analysis/attorney-general-william-barrs-keynote-address-china-initiative-conference
Jin, L.; “Synergies between the Belt and Road Initiative and the 2030 SDGs: From the Perspective of Development”, Economic and Political Studies, Vol. 6, Issue 3, 2018.

https://doi.org/10.1080/20954816.2018.1498990

Jinping, Xi; Belt and Road Forum, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Beijing, May 14, 2017.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Beijing, May 24, 2020.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Beijing, May 29, 2020.
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran website, May 28, 2020.
Rauf, A.; “The Role of Digital Silk Road and Digital CPEC in BRI”; Pivot, Vol. 3, Issue 1, 2021.
Sen, G, Bingqin, L, “The Digital Silk Road and the Sustainable Development Goals”, IDS Bulletin, 50(4):23-46, 2019.
Sen, G.; Leach, M.; Gu, J.; “The Belt and Road Initiative and the SDGs: Towards Equitable, Sustainable Development”, IDS Bulletin, Vol. 50, Issue 4, 2019.
World Bank, Belt and Road Initiative, 29 March 2018.