Global Trade Routes and China’s Impacts on East Turkestan

Öz

China's Belt and Road Initiative is a large-scale infrastructure and development project launched to increase its influence in the global economy and reshape trade routes. Announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, this initiative aims to strengthen economic ties with various countries through extensive infrastructure projects covering both land and maritime routes. Within this framework, the implemented infrastructure projects play a significant role in reshaping global trade routes while contributing to geoeconomic growth strategies. This study focuses on the strategic importance of the Belt and Road Initiative in East Turkistan, while also addressing its geoeconomic growth, political influences, and risk management dimensions. Due to its central position in energy transfer routes, East Turkistan plays a crucial role in China's economic growth strategy. However, in addition to geoeconomic impacts, the region is also marked by ethnic and social tensions. These tensions stem primarily from China's demographic change policies, the cultural and religious suppression of the Uyghur people, economic opportunity inequalities, and strict political control mechanisms. Notably, the migration of Han Chinese, the erosion of the Uyghur Turks' cultural identity, and their exclusion from economic prosperity deepen ethnic divisions and exacerbate social unrest. While the Belt and Road Initiative offers opportunities such as regional development, infrastructure growth, and global integration, it also carries significant political and economic risks, including criticisms of debt-trap diplomacy, environmental and social risks, security concerns, and governance challenges. Therefore, although the initiative's long-term impacts align with China's global strategic goals, it entails considerable risks.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• China
• Belt and Road
• East Turkestan
• Global Trade
• Route

Küresel Ticaret Yolları ve Çin Doğu Türkistan'a Etkileri

Öz

Çin'in Kuşak ve Yol Girişimi, küresel ekonomide etkisini artırma ve ticaret yollarını yeniden şekillendirme amacıyla başlattığı büyük ölçekli bir altyapı ve kalkınma projesidir. Çin Devlet Başkanı Xi Jinping’in 2013 yılında açıkladığı bu girişim, kara ve deniz yollarını kapsayan geniş çaplı altyapı projeleriyle çeşitli ülkelerle ekonomik bağları güçlendirmeyi hedeflemektedir. Bu çerçevede atılan altyapı projeleri, küresel ticaret yollarını yeniden şekillendirirken, jeoekonomik büyüme stratejilerine önemli katkılar sunmaktadır. Bu çalışma, Kuşak ve Yol Girişimi’nin Doğu Türkistan üzerindeki stratejik önemine odaklanmakla birlikte, girişimin jeoekonomik büyüme, siyasi etkiler ve risk yönetimi boyutlarını da ele almaktadır. Doğu Türkistan, enerji transfer yollarındaki merkezi konumu nedeniyle Çin’in ekonomik büyüme stratejisinde önemli bir rol oynamaktadır. Ancak bölge, jeoekonomik etkilerin yanı sıra, etnik ve sosyal gerilimlerle de ön plana çıkmaktadır. Bu gerilimlerin temelinde; Çin’in uyguladığı demografik değişim politikaları, Uygur halkının kültürel ve dini baskılara maruz kalması, ekonomik fırsat eşitsizlikleri ve sıkı siyasi kontrol mekanizmaları yer almaktadır. Özellikle Han Çinlisi göçü, Uygur Türklerinin kültürel kimliğinin erozyona uğraması ve ekonomik refahtan dışlanması, etnik ayrışmayı derinleştirerek sosyal huzursuzluğu artırmaktadır. Kuşak ve Yol Girişimi, bölgesel kalkınma, altyapı gelişimi ve küresel entegrasyon gibi fırsatlar sunarken; borç tuzağı diplomasisi eleştirileri, çevresel ve sosyal riskler, güvenlik sorunları ve yönetim zorlukları gibi ciddi siyasi ve ekonomik riskler barındırmaktadır. Bu nedenle, girişimin uzun vadeli etkileri, Çin’in küresel stratejik hedefleriyle uyumlu olsa da önemli riskler taşımaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Çin
• Kuşak ve Yol
• Doğu Türkistan
• Küresel
• Ticaret
• Rotalar

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