RUSSIA'S PARTICIPATION IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CHINESE “ONE BELT, ONE ROAD” PROJECT: OPPORTUNITIES AND RISKS

Abstract

The "One Belt, One Road" project is beneficial to the Chinese side and will be implemented regardless of the opinion and position of Russia. Within the framework of the initiative, the economic and political interests of the two countries intersect. The article analyzes the ratio of risks and opportunities for Russia's participation in the “Belt and Road”. The characteristics of the project itself and the principles on which it will be built are given. Participation in the project promises economic benefits for Russia, and can also become an opportunity to solve long-standing foreign policy problems. At the same time, the Chinese initiative may become a threat to the advancement of Russia's interests in Central Asia and create competition with China for sales markets in Eastern Europe. China, as the creator of the initiative, is the leader of a project involving more than 150 countries and international organizations. This, in turn, contains the danger of Chinese expansion on the continent. The geopolitical aspect will also become a risk. Russia could find itself caught in a triangle between China, the European Union and the United States, with no room for maneuver.