CENTRALIZING PERIPHERIES: THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE AND ITS ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHINESE BORDERLANDS

Abstract

Based on the analysis of two case studies, Tashkurgan in Xinjiang province and Houqiao in Yunnan province, this paper makes two connected arguments about China’s Belt and Road Initiative, also known as One Belt, One Road (OBOR). First, it shows that OBOR shares many characteristics with previous projects to develop the borderlands, yet its vision differs significantly. In particular, the initiative marks a discursive shift in the official view of China’s western provinces by “centralizing” the borderlands and thus favoring the branding of the initiative as “mutually beneficial” for both China and its neighboring countries. Furthermore, it shows that another reason for OBOR’s current success lies in the initiative’s vagueness—an asset, however, that can become one of the initiative’s greatest liabilities.