Welcome to the New Silk Roads
Research on the Roads of Many Wonders
Archeological Sites, Education and Resources, Arts, Culture, Research Bibliographies, Botany (traditional medicines), Gemstones, Geography, History, Languages, Law, Maps, Religious Studies, Silk Road Research Centers & Institutes, Famous Travelers & More
Updated July 29, 2021
China-ASEAN Digital Silk Road under construction
By ZHAI KUN, China Daily Global, 2021-07-23 At present, the Asia-Pacific region has become a major arena for digital competition, with Southeast Asia in the spotlight for major powers thanks to the huge potential of its digital economy, in which China plays a crucial role. For geopolitical reasons, Southeast Asia is indispensable for the Indo-Pacific strategy of the US and the EU, as well as the formation of secondary digital partnerships and the development of the global digital economy, since it will become the fourth largest digital market in the world, behind China, the US and Europe. As global digital competition intensifies, a good digital governance framework is needed for both global and regional development, which is precisely the point of building the China-ASEAN Digital Silk Road. Read full story here.
More steps to boost foreign trade
By Zhong Nan, Jul 28,2021 - China Daily
China will encourage its pilot free trade zones (FTZs) and comprehensive bonded areas to build global supply warehouses and transportation hubs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), in order to spur new forms and models of foreign trade, a government official said on July 27. Read full article here. G7 Presents a Euro-American plan for the Silk Roads
CARBIS BAY, England, June 12 (Reuters) - The Group of Seven richest democracies sought on Saturday to counter China’s growing influence by offering developing nations an infrastructure plan that could rival President Xi Jinping’s multi-trillion-dollar Belt and Road initiative...
https://www.reuters.com/world/g7-counter-chinas-belt-road-with-infrastructure-project-senior-us-official-2021-06-12/ SR-Research Center Director's Note:
The funny thing about China's languages, philosophies and culture is they virtually always seek harmony and avoid confrontation. One can only hope the G7 shares these values and is willing to work harmoniously on developing those nations that need a assistance in infrastructure development. Latin America, East Europe, most land and maritime Silk Road nations and especially Africa need enormous infrastructure development to bring them more fully into the 21st Century. Let's hope and pray all those who can participate in helping, come to these projects with open hearts and sincere minds. There is no need whatsoever for confrontation or competition in these areas. If COVID-19 has taught us anything it should be there is room for everyone to work together to build a better, brighter and healthier world. Working together we all - are so much stronger and happier. 
China has been in the business of Silk Road diplomacy for over 2,000 years. So, it not surprising with such deep roots and vast experience China is taking the lead today as well.
Xinhua Silk Road Database
Belt and Road Weekly
Meditation, Exercise, Herbs Nature, Science and COVID-19
There is no cure for COVID-19. But, there are some simple things that can help strengthen the human immune system according to scientific research.
Peace is possible if we work at it.
|
Director's Note: I have to admit, I am a bit biased:
I LOVE ARCHEOLOGY! Take Dayahatyn Caravansarai in Turkmenistan for example. From the outside it doesn't look like much, but inside I could still feel the pulsing life of thousands of years of international trade. There are so many archeological sites I would love to help excavate, and this is absolutely one of my favorites. One need not fear COVID-19 in such places, because there is nobody there most of the time. Besides, sunshine kills viruses better than any chemical! 
The land Silk Roads began a long downhill slide about 500 years ago with the rise of the littoral (coastal) trading centers that emerged because of improved maritime navigation. Now, thanks to China's lead in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) the land Silk Roads are coming back bigger and better than ever!
Inside Dayahatyn Caravansarai in Turkmenistan
Tajik president, Chinese defense minister agree to enhance cooperation
Tajik President Emomali Rahmon (R) meets with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, July 27, 2021. (Xinhua)
July 28, 2021
Abstract : Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe agreed to strengthen cooperation between the two countries during their meeting here on Tuesday... Read Full story here. For Silk Road news & videos see:
COVID-19
For daily updates on the country-by-country spread of the Novel Coronavirus along with some other statistics, see:
Do you ever feel like this going to work in the morning? I suggest you start learning a Silk Road language, and prepare for a beautiful new life! Photo of painting in Bukhara Uzbekistan's Citadel of Arc Prison; Photo by SR-Research Center's Director, G. Brundage
| ||||||
Silk Road Kung Fu Friendship Tour
Note from the Director of Silk Road Research Center:
When I was a boy I was fortunate to travel the Roman roads from the UK, and years later Spain, all the way to Rome. Mostly my family camped, but every three nights we stayed in hotels to take hot showers. Mainly sitting around camp fires at night under the stars talking with all kinds of Europeans, I kept hearing stories that the Silk Roads were longer, older, and even more exotic than the Roman roads. So, even as a young child I was very curious about the Silk Roads!
From 2015 to 2020 I got to travel the Silk Roads on the ground from Xi'an to Istanbul as part of my Silk Road Kung Fu Friendship Tour. Along the roads I sent articles to Kung Fu Magazine in the California and some 40 articles in that series were published. Last year I compiled them into two books books that are available on https://www.amazon.com. Just type in "Silk Road Kung Fu Friendship Tour" and the books will come up. I hope you enjoy the adventures as much as I did. Incidentally, I'm not finished! The Silk Roads go on forever. Though I've traveled pretty much around North and South America, Europe and Asia, South to North, and East to West, there is still so much to see and wonderful people to meet. Below are just a few of the 55,718 photos I took along that great adventure!
When I was a boy I was fortunate to travel the Roman roads from the UK, and years later Spain, all the way to Rome. Mostly my family camped, but every three nights we stayed in hotels to take hot showers. Mainly sitting around camp fires at night under the stars talking with all kinds of Europeans, I kept hearing stories that the Silk Roads were longer, older, and even more exotic than the Roman roads. So, even as a young child I was very curious about the Silk Roads!
From 2015 to 2020 I got to travel the Silk Roads on the ground from Xi'an to Istanbul as part of my Silk Road Kung Fu Friendship Tour. Along the roads I sent articles to Kung Fu Magazine in the California and some 40 articles in that series were published. Last year I compiled them into two books books that are available on https://www.amazon.com. Just type in "Silk Road Kung Fu Friendship Tour" and the books will come up. I hope you enjoy the adventures as much as I did. Incidentally, I'm not finished! The Silk Roads go on forever. Though I've traveled pretty much around North and South America, Europe and Asia, South to North, and East to West, there is still so much to see and wonderful people to meet. Below are just a few of the 55,718 photos I took along that great adventure!
Writer G. Brundage at Bell Tower in Xian, Official starting point of the ancient Silk Roads photo taken July 15, 2015
In Ankara Turkey, far left is Professor Yilmoz Selim Erdol_center is Professor Gregory McMahon, on right traveler G. Brundage
Two years later in Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, Turkey
|
Tashkent Left to right friend and translator Mirzahid Mirdjalalov, writer G. Brundage, Farrukh Usmanov Director of Academy of Art of Uz and Master Chief Archeologist Sheyko Konstanteen Alexan at the Uzbekistan International Caravanserai of Culture, January 2016
Hititte Collection at Museum of Anatolian Civilization, Istanbul
Hecang Fortress Gansu, once upon a time the northern frontier gate to China's Silk Road 4/27/2017
| ||
Some of the areas I'd like to explore:
In sum, there's a lot of work a Silk Road Research Center can do.
- To what extent are the Silk Road Research Centers around the world cooperating with each other?
- Which Silk Road archeological sites in each country are most in need of stabilization, excavation, restoration and protection now?
- Is it possible to massively expand archeological work all along the Silk Roads? Though UNESCO seemed to taking the lead on this in the past, the UN now is overwhelmed with other crises... Is it possible some other external funding can be obtained? What national and international organizations can take a lead in these efforts?
- To what extent can the Tourist Development organizations in the Silk Road countries work better together to promote and begin to restart Silk Road Tourism in the wake of COVID-19?
- Given that half of the world's ancient treasures are sitting in European and American museum basements collecting dust, what kinds of budgets are they dealing with, and can better access be accelerated? Is there a lobby group to encourage better accounting and access to the stolen treasures of the Silk Road countries?
- Conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan and other Silk Road areas are not going away. Is it possible conflict resolution skills training can be added to the curriculum at all levels of education throughout the world? Is it possible "back door" negotiations can take place to get foreign proxy armies out and away from these international conflicts?
- Water, food, medicine, and education are sorely lacking in less economically developed areas along the Silk Road. Is it possible Silk Road research group could evolve to prioritize needs and resources, aided by the governments of these countries?
- What can all people along the Silk Road do to improve the image of this vast and ancient region?
In sum, there's a lot of work a Silk Road Research Center can do.