近日，我院副教授席会东接受中国日报专访，畅谈陕西“一带一路”建设中的优劣势，强调应发挥陕西科教文卫有事，激活陕西丝绸文化遗产和经验，加强陕西与丝绸之路经济带沿线国家的软交流，促进民心相通。全文如下：
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/opinion/2017-05/09/content_29258859.htm
Belt and Road offers tangible benefits
Editor's note: Four researchers share their views with China Daily's Cui Shoufeng on what the provinces and regions in western China should do to better integrate into and benefit from the Belt and Road Initiative, which comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Excerpts follow:
Need to strengthen 'soft' connectivity
As a growth pole in northwestern China, Shaanxi province is striving to become an inland linchpin of the Belt and Road Initiative, which has pushed landlocked western China to the forefront of the "go global" reform. Its ambition emanates from its role as a trade and logistics pivot linking China with Central Asia, even Western Europe - a technological innovation hub and a cultural tourism center.
The international freight train Chang'an, which made its maiden run to Central Asia in November 2013, now travels up to Rotterdam, a seaport in the Netherlands.
Belt and Road offers tangible benefits
Home to a number of leading universities and research institutes, Shaanxi has a versatile, complete industrial system, whose aerospace, energy and telecommunications sectors are well known nationwide. That allows the province to work closely with some resource-rich Central Asian countries in terms of exploration of resources.
Shaanxi is also home to a slew of cultural heritages related to the ancient Silk Road, giving it a unique advantage in boosting cultural, academic and people-to-people exchanges with Central Asian communities.
But since the province does not have enough scholars who specialize in South Asian and Southeast Asian studies, particularly with regard to issues related to customs and resources, in the economies along the Belt and Road routes, enterprises that have managed to "go global" often struggle to proceed with their projects for the lack of knowledge about local laws and regulations, as well as the endorsement of Shaanxi authorities. Besides, not many Shaanxi residents choose Central Asian destinations to spend their holidays. So, extra efforts must be made to strengthen the province's "soft" connectivity with the economies along the Belt and Road routes.
(China Daily USA 05/09/2017 page12)
