Volume 1 Issue 3 Summer 2020 BRIQ is a scholarly journal of international politics, economy, and culture. The languages of publication are Turkish and English. ISSN 2687-5896 Editor-in-Chief • Fikret Akfırat Editorial Board Coordinator • Asst. Prof. Efe Can Gürcan, İstinye University Editorial Board Mehmet Adnan Akfırat, Turkish-Chinese Business Development and Friendship Association Salih Ertan, Electric Engineer • Asst. Prof. Efe Can Gürcan, İstinye University Hüseyin Haydar, Poet • Assoc. Prof. Şiir Kılkış, TUBİTAK, METU • Dr. Handan Konar, Shanghai University Assoc. Prof. Uğur Murat Leloğlu, METU • Ali Şahin, İstanbul University • Prof. Dr. Ufuk Tutan • Asst. Prof. Yang Chen, Shanghai University Advisory Board Cankut Bagana, Chairman of Onur Air • Prof. Dr. Cheng Enfu, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Guo Changgang, The Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences • Cem Gürdeniz, Retired RADM Prof. Dr. Emin Gürses, Yeditepe University • Assoc. Prof. Han Zhimin, Shanghai International Studies University • Faik Işık, Lawyer Beyazıt Karataş, Retired Air Pilot Major General • Prof. Dr. Birol Kılkış, Hacettepe Technocity • Prof. Dr. Semih Koray, Bilkent University Ethem Sancak, Chairman of BMC • Prof. Dr. Sun Degang, Fudan University • Prof. Dr. Yang Guang, Tsinghua University Selim Yaşar, Chairman of Yasar Holding • Wu Keming, Retired Ambassador Editors Deniz Eren Erişen, China Academy of Science, PhD student • Orçun Göktürk, Beijing Economy University, Master's student Bedii Gürcan, Renmin University, PhD student • Ebru Şahin, Dokuz Eylül University, Law student Arda Tunçel, Shanghai University, Master's student • Zeynep Yaşar, Clinical Psychologist / Psychotherapist Serdar Yurtçiçek, Zhejiang University, Master's student Graphic Design • Mehmetcan Öztürk Editorial Office • Aksaray Mah. Cerrahpaşa Cad. No: 5 D: 9 Fatih-İstanbul +90 212 5867231 www.briqjournal.com • [email protected] Publication Type • Scholarly journal Owner and General Manager Emine Sağlam on behalf of Turkish-Chinese Business Development and Friendship Association Printing Management and Distribution • Ajans Gala +90 312 2321075 +90 546 7893832 Printing • Öztepe Matbaa Zübeyde Hanım Mah. Kazım Karabekir Cad. Iskitler Özer Han D: 95, 06070 Altındağ/Ankara /briqdergisi Principles of Publication At a time when US ambitions for a unipolar world order BRIQ assumes the task of providing direct exchange of have lost their appeal, a new order is taking shape thanks views and information among Chinese and Turkish academ- to the multipolarization of world politics and the accelera- ics, intellectuals, and policy makers. In the meantime, this tion of cooperation between developing countries, rejecting journal will serve as a platform to bring together the intellec- the globalism of imperialist states. Under these conditions, tual accumulation of the whole world, especially developing the new agenda of global cooperation should respond to countries, on the basis of the Belt and Road Initiative, which the needs and aspirations of developing countries seeking presents a historic opportunity for the common future of joint development and solidarity under the guidance of pub- humanity. lic-driven projects. In particular, the Belt and Road Initiative BRIQ is also devoted to publishing research and other (BRI) -put forward in 2013 by Xi Jinping, President of the intellectual contributions that underline the transformative People's Republic of China- provides a suitable opportunity power of public-driven economies, where popular interests and a sound foundation for the implementation of this new are upheld as the basic principle, ahead of individual profit. agenda of global cooperation. The fundamental tasks of BRIQ are to demonstrate how BRI BRI is an epoch-making move to re-implement the can contribute to the implementation of this public-driven concept of the Silk Road, which dates back 2,000 years, to model, and to help potential BRI partners -including Tur- a time when China was immensely contributing to global key- to realize their real potential. prosperity and the development of trade and cooperation. BRIQ stands for the unity of humanity and a fair world The revival of this concept entails a much more comprehen- order. It will therefore be a publication for the world’s distin- sive approach that also incorporates rail and sea transport, guished intellectuals, especially those from Eurasia, Africa, and digital systems. and the Americas: the defenders of a new civilization ris- BRI proposes to bring together over 60 countries across ing from Asia on the basis of peace, fraternity, cooperation, Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America –together account- prosperity, social benefit and common development. ing for nearly half of the world’s gross domestic product– for prosperity and development at the initiative of China. Unlike Submission Guidelines the Western-centered world order, BRI seeks peaceful collab- BRIQ features a broad range of content, from academic arti- oration for improving global trade and production towards cles to book reviews, review essays, interviews, news reports, common goals for humanity. It firmly rejects crude imperi- and feature articles. alist exploitation. Two thousand years ago, the Silk Road was The Editorial Board can issue calls for papers for spe- a conduit for the flow of gunpowder, spices, silk, compasses cial issues and invite authors to contribute manuscripts; and paper to the world. Today, it offers artificial intelligence, however, it also welcomes unsolicited submissions. quantum computers, new energy and material technologies, Submissions are invited in English or Turkish. All sub- and space-age visions to developing countries. In addition, missions are to include a short biography (150-word limit) the New Silk Road provides incentives and opportunities and should be sent as Microsoft Word attachments to briq@ for the development and implementation of bio-economic briqjournal.com Articles or other content that have been schemes in stakeholder countries against the threat of cli- previously published or are under review by other journals mate change and other environmental threats that bring the will not be considered for publication. entire ecosystem to the brink of extinction. BRIQ follows American Psychology Association (APA Turkey has a significant role –real and potential– in ac- style, 6th edition, https://www.apastyle.org) and uses Ameri- celerating South-South cooperation. Turkey is conveniently can English spelling. located as Asia’s farthest outpost to the West. It assumes a BRIQ applies a double-blind review process for all ac- critical position as a pivotal country on BRI’s North-South ademic articles. and East-West axes. However, China's development and Academic articles should be between 5000 and 9000 BRI’s contribution to the future of humanity have remained words in length, including abstracts, notes, references, and to a large extent underrecognized and superficially evaluat- all other content. Please supply a cover page that includes ed in Turkish academia, media, and politics. This is mainly complete author information, and a fully anonymized man- because Turkey’s academics, media professionals, and policy uscript that also contains an abstract (200-word limit) and makers have been observing China using Western sources. five keywords. In the same manner, China and BRI’s other potential part- Book reviews should not exceed 1,000 words; review ners have been viewing Turkey through a Western lens. essays covering two or more works can be up to 3,000 words. BRIQ has committed itself to developing an in-depth News reports consisting of brief analyses of news devel- understanding of the present era, with a particular emphasis opments should not exceed 1,500 words; feature articles com- on the new opportunities and obstacles on the road to the bining reporting and analysis can be up to 3,500 words. New Asian Century. Please contact the Editorial Board for interview proposals. EDıtorıal The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the importance of the key skills that human beings acquired in the course of their evolution: Solidarity and sharing! In the history of humanity for thousands of years, we have developed to the extent that we cooperate, and we have become human to the extent that we share. In order to succeed in fighting the pandemic, it is now clearly seen that collective behavior is compulsory. Furthermore, it is understood that the success of a country against the pandemic will also benefit other countries as well. When confronting the pandemic, the governments of the countries within the Atlantic system faced the question of which one comes first, human beings or markets, and they made their choices in favor of markets. The dire consequences of this choice can be assessed by reference to several examples from Italy, England, Spain, France, and especially, the USA. Profit-oriented health systems collapsed during the fight against the pandemic. In the imperialist centers, moreover, the pandemic agenda expanded to include other crucial issues such as the explosion of unemployment, racism, and mass protests. All of this led to large- scale economic and social instability, which is expected to continue in the long term. By contrast, China has shown tremendous success in the fight against the pandemic. Even isolating the Hubei province from the rest of the country in order to prevent the spread of the virus all over the country was highly critical by itself. Moreover, China has exhibited an exemplary stance