Aus der Einleitung:

More than 2000 years ago, western wool, glass, gold and eastern Mediterranean products such as silk and spices were already being traded along the Silk Road. Transportation over long distances of over 10,000 kilometers from Rome to China usually took several years, as goods were usually transported in stages, bought through intermediate traders and then resold. The “Silk Road” has historically positive connotations and makes strong reference to 21st century plans of the People’s Republic of China. This unique “road” can be understood in various ways, but the most of them are positive. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), also called “New Silk Road” is the idea of China’s President Xi Jinping and was first mentioned in 2013. Later, 40 billion US dollars were allocated to the Silk Road Fund. The fund was primarily established to fund infrastructure projects and better integrate new and existing initiatives, such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).