Chapter 4 (The Political Geography)

Today, September 26, is an exciting day because this is the opening day of the Euro-Asia Economic Forum that is being hosted in Xian, China. According to EuroAsia.org, the forum's official website, the "Euro-Asia Economic Forum is designed to be a high-end international conference geared to the needs of the vast Eurasian region." This forum was first established in 2005 in Xian and three editions have since taken place, with the Municipal Government of Xian having been named the permanent host of the forum in 2007. Today's forum will be attended by several officials from several Chinese ministries as well as from other governments in Europe and Asia, as well as the United States, and it will last until September 28. (Source: http://www.euroasiaforum.org/GeneralInformation.asp).

The organizers for this forum chose the city of Xian for many reasons. Most fundamentally, they chose it to serve as a reference to its ancient roots as the starting point of the Silk Road, which served as the main international trading route that connected China with the rest of the European and Asian world. The organizers of the forum wish to revive the ancient Silk Road by fostering increased regional cooperation.
(Source: http://www.globaltimes.cn/NEWS/tabid/99/ID/812174/2013-Euro-Asia-Economic-Forum-to-kick-off-in-Xian.aspx)

Here is a map that shows how Xian served as the starting point of the Silk Road:


Here is a picture of Vice Premier Wang Yang, who opened today's forum:


 Today, the United States Director for Anticrime Programs, David Luna, delivered his remarks to the members of the forum, which are provided on the US State Department's website. I found his remarks regarding the "booming city of Xian" to be very interesting. Luna stated:

Given the rich history of Xi'an, one of the Four Great Ancient capitals of China, and a flourishing center of economic, cultural, scholastic, and artistic talents, there is perhaps no city in the world that understands the complexities and vital significance of cross-border trade better than Xi'an. It is here that the Silk Road began over one thousand years ago, and it is here that major multinational corporations from around the world, including some of the top Fortune 500 companies, have chosen to invest today. And akin to its historical legacy, Xi'an continues to serve as a hub of commerce, innovation, and higher-learning institutions. 

Luna concluded that, for these reasons, it is fitting that the forum is hosted in this great city. Thus, it can be easily seen that Xian continues to play an important role within the political sphere of China as it continues to serve as a link between China and the rest of the world, just as it did when it served as the starting point of the Silk Road.

(Source: http://www.state.gov/j/inl/rls/rm/2013/214731.htm).