英国历史学家：“一带一路”倡议是世界乱局中的明灯

英国历史学家大卫·柯塔姆10月20日在《中国日报》刊文称，“一带一路”倡议取得了重大成就，加强了全球互联互通，促进了经济文化交流，创造了以平等、包容和国际合作原则为基础的发展模式。在世界和平因俄乌冲突和中东问题陷入危机之际，“一带一路”倡议成为世界乱局中罕见的指路明灯。柯塔姆呼吁更多西方国家能摒弃偏见和敌意，真正倾听“一带一路”国际合作高峰论坛释放的振奋人心的信息。

Heavy spending on infrastructure projects and massive overseas investments have been the hallmarks of the initiative, strengthening the economies of both China and partner countries in a "win-win" relationship. One of the key characteristics of the initiative is that despite the clearly unequal strength of member countries compared with China, the relationship is rooted in the equal status of all participants.
柯塔姆称，“一带一路”倡议下，中国通过基础设施项目投资和大量海外投资，与共建国家实现“双赢”关系，促进中国和共建国家共同繁荣。该倡议的关键特征是，所有合作关系都建立在平等的基础上。

China's history of being exploited by colonial powers in the 19th and early 20th centuries has bequeathed a strong legacy of anti-colonialism. This explains why over 150 countries have been happy to sign up to the BRI, safe in the knowledge that China's initiative is not an exploitative colonial adventure along the lines of the old British, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Japanese or American top-down, imperial models.
柯塔姆称，中国19世纪和20世纪初被殖民压迫的历史为其留下了强烈的反殖民主义遗产。这也是为什么中国能与150多个国家签署共建“一带一路”合作文件的原因。这些国家相信“一带一路”倡议不同于曾经的英、西、葡、法、德、日、美殖民帝国进行的自上而下的剥削性殖民活动。

The big achievement of the BRI has undoubtedly been to enhance connectivity and economic cooperation between participating countries across the world. Roads, railways, ports and other infrastructure facilities have been transformed, stimulating economic growth, the expansion of trade, regional integration and greater political stability. It has also strengthened the Global South, creating a more multipolar world, less dependent on American economic cycles.
文章称，“一带一路”倡议取得了重大成就，加强全球互联互通和经济合作。公路、铁路、港口等基础设施实现升级改造，刺激了经济增长、贸易扩张，推动区域一体化和政治稳定。“一带一路”推动发展中国家经济发展，推动世界多极化进程，减少了对美国经济周期的依赖。

The expression "When America sneezes, the world catches a cold" is probably still true, but the success of the BRI means that the cold should no longer be so intense or debilitating.
柯塔姆称，“当美国打喷嚏时，全世界都感冒了”这句话可能仍然正确，但“一带一路”倡议的成功意味着美国对全球经济的影响可能不再如此强大。

There are, of course, Western critics of the initiative. The real worry in the West about the BRI is not altruistic concern about countries taking on too much debt. It is actually more about the remarkable political success of the initiative in bringing together so many countries under one umbrella. Even worse, the umbrella was made in China. Inevitably, this will be perceived by many in the West as an expansion of China's political and strategic influence in the world and therefore a threat to the existing world order, based on Western and especially American hegemony.
针对西方世界抹黑“一带一路”的声音，文章指出，西方对“一带一路”倡议的担忧并不是无私的关心。实际上，真正让他们担忧的是“一带一路”倡议在政治上取得了巨大成功，成为众多国家“避雨”的伞。更糟糕的是，这把伞是中国制造的。许多西方政客将“一带一路”建设视为中国在世界上政治和战略影响力的扩张，是对以西方，尤其是以美国霸权为基础的现有世界秩序的威胁。

We can only hope that enough people in the West dismiss such notions and actually listen to the uplifting messages coming out of the Beijing forum. Just as the ancient Silk Road brought Eastern and Western civilizations closer together, the BRI has reinforced global connectivity, strengthened economic and cultural links, and created a model of development underpinned by principles of equality, inclusion and international cooperation. At a time of heightened danger for world peace, notably in Ukraine and the Middle East, such principles are a rare beacon of light.
文章最后，柯塔姆表示，希望更多西方人能摒弃这种观念，真正倾听“一带一路”国际合作高峰论坛释放的振奋人心的信息。正如古老的丝绸之路使东西方文明更加紧密地联系在一起一样，“一带一路”倡议加强了全球互联互通，促进了经济文化交流，创造了以平等、包容和国际合作原则为基础的发展模式。在世界和平因俄乌冲突和中东问题陷入危机之际，“一带一路”倡议成为世界乱局中罕见的明灯。