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34
Section 4. Political science
https://doi.org/10.29013/ESR-21-3.4-38-42
Fatima Kh. Dalieva, doctoral student of University of World Economy and Diplomacyy Tashkent, Republic of Uzbekistan E-mail: f.dalieva@yandex.ru
GEOPOLITICAL AGENDA OF SILK ROAD TRANSPORT CORRIDORS: INTERESTS OF UZBEKISTAN AND DIVERSIFICATION OF TRANSPORT UNITS
Abstract. In this article analyzed of difference versions for the development of transport corridors with the participation of Uzbekistan from the point of view of the geopolitical and geo-economic interests of the Republic of Uzbekistan. In this sense, an objective analysis of the existing international transport corridors passing through Uzbekistan is given; the main trends of Uzbekistan's participation in various transport projects are considered. The article makes a number of conceptual conclusions and identifies promising directions for the development of transport corridors of the Silk Road, geopolitically beneficial for Uzbekistan.
Keywords: geopolitics, Silk Road, transport corridors, diversification, transport policy, Central Asia, SCO, PRC, Uzbekistan.
The establishment of convenient and shortest communications with the centers of world trade has become a strategically important task of the Republic of Uzbekistan since the first years of its independence. The mutually beneficial integration of the national transport system into the system of international transport corridors is being successfully implemented. As the crossroads of all land and air communications in the region, the republic has unique opportunities to participate in international transit. Work is being actively carried out to modernize and increase the capacity of the internal transport system. Significant funds are annually allocated from the budget of the republic for the reconstruction and repair of existing ones, as well as
the construction of new roads, bridges and related infrastructure.
Issues of international and regional interconnection have always been and remain relevant for Central Asia, including our country, which does not have direct access to seaports. Uzbekistan initially supported the Belt and Road Initiative, the implementation of which is an important factor in the sustainable development of our countries. In this regard, the domestic researcher Zh. Artykov rightly notes that "one of the most priority issues for Uzbekistan is the development of transport corridors to seaports, international markets, the construction of oil and gas pipelines. It is necessary to determine what urgent measures to take to
ensure the efficient operation of these routes, and what alternatives are optimal and priority in future activities" [1].
E. Yu. Vinokurov, V. G. Lobyrev, A. A. Tik-homirov and T. V. Tsukarev — a group of leading economists — the authors of an analytical study entitled "Transport corridors of the Silk Road: the potential for growth in freight traffic through the EAEU" (2018) also note that "further growth of rail container traffic between the European Union and China is expected" and come to the conclusion that that "railway container transportation has advantages (compared to sea) in the following indicators: speed (timing) of transportation, regularity (rhythm) of transportation, reliability (guaranteed delivery on time and safety of the cargo), the ability to deliver the cargo by means of a vehicle to any point" [2].
In connection with the above, we believe that in order to attract additional cargo traffic between the EU and the countries of Central Asia, including Uzbekistan, it is necessary to further develop the transport infrastructure and eliminate existing customs barriers, develop and introduce electronic waybills, develop digital technologies for cargo handling and information exchange.
Currently, Uzbekistan's foreign trade cargo transportation is carried out along the following main transport corridors:
corridor 1 - in the direction of the ports of the Baltic states (in transit through Kazakhstan and Russia) - Klaipeda (Lithuania), Riga, Liepaja, Ventspils (Latvia), Tallinn (Estonia);
corridor 2 - in the direction of the EU countries, through Belarus and Ukraine (in transit through Kazakhstan and Russia) - border checkpoints Chop (Ukraine) and Brest (Belarus);
corridor 3 - to the Ukrainian port of Ilyichevsk (in transit through Kazakhstan and Russia), with access to the Black Sea;
corridor 4 - in the direction of the Transcauca-sian corridor (in transit through Turkmenistan, Ka-
zakhstan and Azerbaijan), with access to the Black Sea, which is known as the TRA.CECA corridor;
corridor 5 - to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas (in transit through Turkmenistan) with access to the Persian Gulf;
corridor 6 - eastward through the Kazakh-Chinese border crossing (Dostyk / Alalshankou) to the eastern ports of China, as well as the Far Eastern ports of Nakhodka, Vladivostok, etc .;
corridor 7 - to Chinese ports (in transit through Kyrgyzstan) with an outlet to the Yellow, East China and South China Seas;
corridor 8 - in connection with the settlement of the Afghan problem, new prospects are opening up for the development of southern alternative transport corridors to the Iranian and Pakistani ports of Bandar Abbas, Chahbahar (IRI), Gwadar and Karachi (IRP) in transit through Afghanistan [3].
Note that in addition to railway transport, the
SCO member states, including Uzbekistan, actively use road transport. In particular, in his speech at the opening ceremony of the 11th China Fair on Investments Abroad, SCO Secretary General V. Norov noted in particular that "more than 13 million km of highways have been laid on the territory of the Organization's countries, or almost 20% of all world highways" [4].
The integrated system of transport policy is a strategic resource for the foreign economic activity of the states of the Central Asian region. In this regard, the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh. M. Mirziyoyev on the economic feasibility of establishing an end-to-end tarifffor railway transportation along the route: ports of the Yellow Sea - Central Asia - Europe, voiced in his speech at the Second International Forum "One Belt, One Road" (April 27, 2019) provides for an integrated approach to the management system in the field of transport policy [5].
Over the past 15 years, the PRC has been actively promoting various projects of transport and communication corridors, economic cooperation,
cooperation and integration, both within the framework ofbilateral and multilateral relations. Today, the Chinese initiative for the Silk Road Economic Belt within the framework of the "One Belt, One Road" strategy is one of the most discussed topics among analysts, economists and international experts.
The idea of creating the Silk Road Economic Belt (One Belt, One Road) project was put forward by the President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping during a speech at Nazarbayev University (Astana, Kazakhstan) as part of a state visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan from 6 to 8 September 2013 g. [6]
Speaking about the New Silk Road, it should be understood that China is implementing two comprehensive strategies: the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. On land, the initiative focuses on the joint construction of a new "Eurasian bridge" and the development of economic corridors "China-Mongolia-Russia", "China-Central Asia-Western Asia" and "China-Indo-China Peninsula" through international transport routes, key cities on the entire route and key economic industrial parks as platforms for cooperation. At sea, the initiative focuses on the joint construction of seamless, safe and efficient transport routes connecting major seaports [7].
The Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan, following the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States (Bishkek, June 13-14, 2019), confirming support for China's "One Belt, One way" (BRI), highly appreciated the results of the Second BRI International Cooperation Forum (Beijing, April 25-27, 2019). They noted the ongoing work on the joint implementation of this project, including efforts to link the construction of the Eurasian Economic Union and OBOR [8].
In the context of the globalization of the world economy, transport alongside with the financial
sphere acts as the most important lever of integration processes. About half of the world's container traffic is in three directions: Asia-North America, North America-Europe and Europe-Asia.
The latter is especially promising for Uzbekistan. The sea transport of containers along the Eurasian continent cannot grow indefinitely. There are a number of restrictions to this: for example, in the future, the capacity of the Suez Canal and Gibraltar may become limited due to increased traffic and environmental problems. In this regard, experts are already considering the issue of diversifying part of the container traffic between Europe and Asia along the land route, and the transport communications of Uzbekistan will play an important role in this [9].
International transport terminals and logistics centers should take a special place in attracting transit cargo. These centers should coordinate the activities of various types of transport, which is very important in the conditions of Central Asian countries that do not have access to the open sea. Accordingly, logistics centers should be created at the intersection of the main transit corridors and, in essence, perform the functions of the so-called "dry ports".
The Silk Road of the 21st century from the Asia-Pacific region to Europe is a boon for the economy as a whole and for the countries through which it will pass. These are additional jobs, the development of infrastructure and tourism, an increase in living standards, and political stability.
Modern Uzbekistan, located in the very heart of Central Asia, contributes to the preservation of security and stability in the region and has the most diversified and dynamically growing national economy, plays a key role in the formation of regional transport infrastructure.
The Republic of Uzbekistan pays great attention to the development of transport and infrastructure communications within the country, the creation of a system of transit corridors, the development of new, efficient routes connecting the existing large international and actively emerging promising mar-
kets. In adopted on the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh. M. Mirziyoyev "Strategies of actions for the further development of the Republic of Uzbekistan" one of the key directions for increasing the competitiveness of the national economy is determined by the conduct of an active investment policy aimed at implementing projects in the field of transport and communication infrastructure. In this regard, we believe that the participation of Uzbekistan in the One Belt, One Road project presents opportunities for the implementation of strategic goals.
Note that for Uzbekistan, OBOR is of interest not so much as the possibility of attracting investments in certain specific projects, but as an opportunity to ensure greater connectivity of the country's transport system with existing and planned transport corridors in the Central Asian region. This should, in the medium and long term, reduce transport costs, ensure a reduction in the time and cost of transporting export and import goods for Uzbek business, and in the future, turn Uzbekistan into one of the most significant transport hubs in Eurasia.
Conclusion
Thus, the "One Belt, One Road" project is a systemic program of the PRC government for the long term, which, of course, cannot be implemented in one day and only by the forces of China. A whole range of work is required for all interested countries. It is necessary to consistently, step by step, step by step go out to large-scale cooperation. OBOR will become an effective lever for the further growth of the well-being of peoples, the development of trade and economic relations between the states of the region, as well as the countries of the EU, Central, South and Southeast Asia.
"One Belt, One Road" for Uzbekistan is an opportunity to ensure further diversification of transport routes for export / import and transit of goods through the conjugation of national plans for the development of the transport sector with the implementation of a wide range of alternative transport corridors passing through the region, based on a system of international agreements and regulations that provide fast and cost-effective movement of goods and services.
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