The Silk Roads from the Past to the Future and Their Interactions with the Foreign Trade of Turkey

Abstract

Transportation is a major factor in trade. Commercial activities can be increased in parallel to improvements in transportational infrastructure. The Silk Road functioned in this manner historically and played a paramount role in the development of international commerce. In this context it proved vital in the execution of intensive commercial activities, initially between Asia and Europe, and later in Africa. Although the Historic Silk Road lost its significance in the late 17th century, it is currently being revitalised. In this context economic and political collaboration between nations is sought through a variety of initiatives - the so-called New Silk Roads. Major among such initiatives are oil-natural gas pipeline projects (OPP-NGPP), Transport Corridor Europe Caucasus Asia (TRACECA), the Northern Distribution Network (NSR-NDN), the Trans-Korean Railroad with the Trans-Siberian Railroad (TKR-TSR), and the Gulf-Asia Model: Turkey is actively involved in most of these. In this paper, brief information about such initiatives is offered and their de facto and potential effects on the foreign trade of Turkey revealed. Data show that such initiatives (excluding the TKR-TSR and the Gulf-Asian Model due to their distance) have positive effects on Turkey’s foreign trade.