The year 2023 marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. Proposed by China in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative, aiming to boost connectivity along and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes, refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road. Ken Hammond, professor of global history and East Asian history at New Mexico State University, the U.S., shared his opinions on the initiative from a historical perspective with Beijing Review reporter Li Nan. Excerpts from their conversation follow:
Beijing Review: How has the Western perception of the Belt and Road Initiative evolved over the past decade?
When the Belt and Road Initiative got underway 10 years ago, one thing many Americans did know about China was the idea of the
