Livestreaming
Geoeconomics or geopolitics?
Tuesday 9 November 2021, 13.30-15.30
DIIS ∙ Danish Institute for International Studies
DIIS Auditorium
Who rules East Europe commands the Heartland; who rules the Heartland commands the World Island; who rules the World-Island commands the world.
With these words the British geographer Halford J. Mackinder summarized in 1919 his famous ‘Heartland theory’ presented in the Royal Geographical Society in 1904. He did that in his book ‘Democratic Ideals and Reality’ in which he also predicts a future where China might be the new ‘Eurasian’ power, which would change everything concerning World Order because of the Chinese access to the oceans: The center of world would change from the West to the East.
In only forty years China has developed to become the world’s second super economy together with the US and China is increasingly seen as a power of global political and even military influence.
With the new Silkroad project (Belt and Road Initiative, BRI) China also has established itself as an economic dynamo in Central Asia. As documented by the Oxford historian Peter Frankopan, the Silkroad project will develop Central Asia into becoming the new economic dynamo in the world because it connects to Asia, The Middle East and Africa.
However, while China with BRI thus is becoming the new neighbor of EU not much attention has been given to this development in the European debates. Maybe it should! What would it mean for Europe and for the global balance power?
Speakers
Friis Arne Petersen, Permanent Undersecretary of Danish MFA (1997-2005), Ambassador in USA (2005-2010), China (2010-2015), and Germany (2015-2020), Adjunct Professor at CBS
Yang Jiang, Senior Researcher, DIIS
Lars Erslev Andersen, Senior Researcher, DIIS
Programme
13.30-13.45 Welcome and Introduction, Lars Erslev Andersen
13.45-14.30 Is the Belt and Road Initiative geoeconomics or geopolitics?, Friis Arne Petersen
14.30-15.00 Discussion: Reviving history and competing for heartland, Yang Jiang
15.00-15.30 Q & A, Moderator: Lars Erslev Andersen
Practical information
The seminar will be held in English and livestreamed on this page - livestream DOES NOT require registration.
Participation is free of charge, but registration for physical seat is required.
Contact
For questions, contact DIIS Event on phone: 3269 8787 or via e-mail: event@diis.dk
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