On February 4th, a masterclass featuring Fernando Cortiñas, a Professor at IE Business School, will take place.
OBJECTIVES AND CONTENT
The session aims to provide insight into the "Silk Road", an ancient trade route that connected the East and West for over 2,600 years. The discussion will cover its historical significance, including its inception, flourishing period, and eventual decline at the close of the Middle Ages.
Additionally, the focus will shift to the OBOR (One Belt, One Road) initiative, a massive €900 billion project where China seeks to establish a modern “New Silk Road”. This will highlight the initiative's "maritime leg" while also touching upon the "terrestrial leg" and examining the social, economic, and political ramifications of China’s expansion in its neighboring regions.
The New Silk Road serves as a strategic framework for China’s ambition to assert itself as a global superpower by 2050, presenting a challenge to the United States' dominance.
The session will address the escalating tensions between China and the USA across various fronts, including their ongoing Trade War, which has significant implications for financial systems and currency dynamics, particularly as the yuan advances in its role against the dollar as a global reserve currency.
Furthermore, the discussion will delve into the technological rivalry, especially in telecommunications (the Digital Silk Road), space exploration, and advancements in biological weaponry. It will also analyze the intense media and perception battles occurring between the two nations.