#UniLodz Podcasts

In this episode of the “Asian Debates,” Marcin Socha talks with Dominik Mierzejewski about his book “China’s Provinces and the Belt and Road Initiative”. Mierzejewski explains the major rationale behind the book and his understanding of the BRI: continuation of the domestic politics and part of the horizontal competition managed by the central government. Then, Mierzejewski shares his observations from the interviews conducted in Heilongjiang, Yunnan, Chongqing, Sichuan and Guangdong. It is always a dilemma how to frame the questions and how to understand the answers – also between lines – as was said in the discussion. The yearly reports delivered in the Local People's Congresses by using different types of labels such as "central era", "bridgehead", "radiation centre", "pawn" or "linking/bonding point" have discussed the self-given roles within the BRI and discusses special "local" BRI projects, levels of adoption and willingness for further integration with pan-regional integration projects, mainly Yangzi River Economic Belt, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Metropolitan Area or limiting to its backyard, as in Guangdong, presents either a lukewarm or enthusiastic approach to the BRI. The final point discussed the importance of the provinces in China’s foreign policy as illustrated by Sichuan-China-Japan relations. The relations from the local level serve as the incentive and play important role in managing the guanxi network. In 2019, for example., the LDP policymaker was from the Shisuikai (志帅会) bloc of Toshihiro Nikai the former Minister for the Economy, Trade and Industry who has always been a significant driving force behind cooperation with mainland China. Casimir Pulaski Foundation is the official partner of the project. Radio Łódź took care of media patronage. The funds for implementing this project come from the Ministry of Education and Science based on contract no. SONP/SP/514138/2021 of November 18, 2021; project name "Asian Debates of the University of Lodz"; Funds (PLN): 45,665.40. Audio credits: Kung Fusion – (Asian sounding commercial track) by Astrofreq from Pixabay