From the Silk Road to the Asia-Europe Meeting (Two Thousand Years of Asia-Europe Relations)

Author: Pan Guang, edited by Yu Jianhua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: The Silk Road can be said to be the earliest bond connecting the two regions of Asia and Europe, with the relationship between them being equal at that time. Today, under the framework of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), the steady progress of the Asia-Europe relationship remains an equal partnership. However, over the more than two thousand years of development from the Silk Road to the ASEM, the relationship between Asia and Europe was unequal for a considerable period. Why did this (twist) occur? First, it was due to the uneven development between the two continents of Europe and Asia, especially between Western Europe and East Asia, in terms of politics, economy, culture, technology, and society. Second, it was due to the aggressive and exploitative policies of colonialism, imperialism, and hegemonism, which artificially widened the gap between Asia and Europe. The main focus of this book is the relationship between East Asia and Western Europe, but it is inevitable to involve the bridges and mediators between them—the various ethnic groups, nations, and civilizations located in the vast hinterland of the Eurasian continent, including Russia, which spans both Asia and Europe.