Institute for Research on Portuguese-speaking countries (IRPOSC)
Macau ‘One Belt, One Road’ Research Center (MOBOR)

Press Release

Lecture on ‘The Silk Road: A Transnational Inheritance’ delivered by Professor Rui Lourido

On 13 March, Institute for Research on Portuguese-speaking countries and Macau ‘One Belt, One Road’ Research Centre invited Professor Rui D’Avila Lourido, President of China Observatory, Lisbon - Portugal, to deliver a lecture on ‘The Silk Road: A Transnational Inheritance’ at Ho Yin Convention Centre of CityU.

In his lecture, Professor Lourido stressed two main arguments: a) What is commonly labeled ‘the silk road’ represents historically a process starting up from 3-4 centuries following a continental network system gathering regions, traders, investments, goods as well as cultural, scientific and technological exchanges. This network received from the 13th century on a maritime counterpart, bridging South China to Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean. This maritime silk road was during 16th century appropriated and controlled by Portuguese navigation and trade in Asia, which was able to compete with transcontinental caravans by offering faster, safer and cheaper oceanic transport; b) Although ‘One Road, One Belt’ (OBOR) Chinese global initiative recalls those past silk roads plural networks, it is basically a new project that represents China set of ideas to foster globalisation, nowadays facing clear setbacks.

The speaker finally stressed the unique role of Macau as the end point of maritime and territorial silk roads and a bridge between continents. Therefore, Macau should be able to play a major role in enhancing the transnational profile of OBOR.

Professor Rui D’Avila Lourido is President of China Observatoty (Observatório da China) in Lisbon - Portugal, Cultural Director of Union of Capital-cities of Portuguese-speaking countries (UCCLA), visiting professor and researcher at various universities, including University of International Business and Economics. He is the author of several books and papers on China-Portugal relations, the Silk Road and Portuguese-speaking countries.