Language strategies along the One Belt One Road Initiative : Language and International Trade with Emphasis on the Chinese, English and Russian languages

Abstract

At present, in the context of a volatile global economy, global trade flows faster and faster. It has become apparent that there is a need for a language that serves a transnational function. Such a language would bridge linguistic differences across international borders. While factors such as the price of goods and trade policies are important for international trade, the significance of the link between use of language and trade cannot be ignored. The kind of language policies in place in a specific country can have a consequential impact on that country’s international competitiveness, and could potentially have an impact on its economic development. China’s One Belt One Road Initiative (OBORI) has attracted worldwide attention. The initiative expands trade relations along the historic Silk Road to Central Asia, Europe and Africa. The OBORI is one of the world's largest economic development initiatives. The countries along the OBORI would benefit by establishing sound language strategies to facilitate and promote smoother international trade. This massive interregional trading cooperation scheme began in 2015, and its impact is still being analyzed as it continues to develop. Consideration of factors relating to language is essential for understanding the full impact of this initiative. However, the work published thus far in this field must be supplemented by further analysis to better understand the effects as they are still developing. The present study has three main aims. The first is to analyze the perceived impact of the OBORI on key countries within the initiative - China, Russia and three Central Asian countries - from a linguistic point of view. The second aim is to explore the current status of language policy and language strategy of China, Russia and 3 Central Asian countries in the multilingual context of the OBORI. The final aim is to discuss the connection between language and international trade, largely through language strategies employed along the OBORI. The goal is to identify current language strategies and policies that have the potential for enhancing the effectiveness of the OBORI while also taking into account how the key countries in Central Asia are affected by the policies enacted by the Chinese and Russian governments.