It seems that ongoing global uncertainty, the chess of power politics and the economic war in terms of trade and tariffs, decoupling, delinking and the so-called China collapse theory have further enhanced the strategic importance of the BRI, which continues to extend unconditional financial support without political conditions and geopolitical consequences.
As the BRI expands and deepens across the Asia-Pacific, it is not merely a story of state-owned enterprises and inter-governmental memoranda. The long-term trajectory of the BRI is increasingly being negotiated within a polycentric governance space, where civil society organizations (CSOs) are emerging not as peripheral actors but as integral components shaping the initiative’s very character, which would be further strengthened by involving families too.
According to many theories, models and concepts of sociology, human psychology, social work and public administration, civil society has become a basic necessity of modern human civilization for achieving desired goals, dreams and development. Comparative studies of human civilization reveal that civil societies have been pivotal for economic development, connectivity, productivity and prosperity.
As the BRI has become one of the biggest development projects of the 21st century, the role of civil society has also increased immensely, making bridges of mutual trust, respect, accommodation and people-to-people connectivity better for the execution, implementation and completion of BRI projects around the globe.
Additionally, the role of civil society has become increasingly important for the stability, sustainability and further expansion of the BRI by engaging the collective wisdom of member countries, believing in their local talents and making them realize, become familiar with and recognize the ground realities of today’s world.
Evidently, civil society promotes the concept of polycentric governance and offers a more accurate model, positing that governance should be diffused across multiple, overlapping centres of decision-making.
In the context of the BRI, these centres include not only national governments and Chinese financiers but also sub-national authorities, indigenous communities, environmental groups, labour unions, think tanks, chambers of commerce and professional associations under the flagship of civil society, hence highlighting its functional necessity.
They become essential intermediaries, translating macro-level policy into micro-level adaptation. This is not mere philanthropy; it is a functional requirement for project sustainability, mitigating risks that can lead to costly delays, legal battles and reputational damage. Civil society, in this view, is the connective tissue that binds the BRI’s grand architecture to the local foundations upon which it must rest and plays a crucial role as a custodian of the BRI’s institutional ecosystem.
While discussing the win-win proposition produced by the BRI and civil society, it is pertinent to mention that the recently concluded China-Asia Pacific Conference in China once again truly highlighted the geometry, geo-economics and geography of regional as well as global civil society by inviting more than 300 experts from more than 45 countries around the globe.
It was arranged and hosted by the China NGO Networking for International Exchanges (CNIE). It was indeed a gigantic effort on the part of the CNIE.
During the conference, the writer presented a comprehensive overview of the BRI’s activities, achievements, contributions and future plans, in which the role of civil society would be paramount and parametric. President’s policies of Shared Prosperity and Shared Future alike were discussed and highlighted.
The writer is of the view that by applying new theoretical concepts from the economics of institutional complementarity to the IR framework of network power and development theories of embedded autonomy, the role, effectiveness and assertiveness of civil society can be easily identified and rightly understood. Civil society should not be viewed merely as a watchdog but as a critical catalyst for the BRI’s maturation from a transactional infrastructure pipeline into a sustainable and developmental paradigm in the Asia-Pacific and around the globe.
Thus, it is high time to think and act beyond methodological statism and jointly work for the success of the BRI. The writer shared that the social marketing of BRI projects should be part of its future strategic expansion in all member countries, transforming countries, communities and enterprises across the entire BRI family.
Therefore, family orientation of the BRI should be the way forward by connecting hearts and making Chinese Diaspora a useful part of local communities, gearing towards pure and sacred matrimonial relationships as pursued by Turkish, Armenians and Azerbaijanis in the past.
Analytically, the success and survival of the ancient Silk Road was heavily dependent on family connections and matrimonial ties, strongly holding diversified bodies, faiths, human frames and religions together for centuries.
Therefore, active civil society and matrimonial relationships along the Silk Road remained one of the secrets of its functionality and durability, other than commerce, trade, hospitality and multiculturalism. This ought to be replicated in today’s BRI model, giving it a new look, composition, character and purpose.
Another key participant, Zamir Assadi, floated the idea of forming a Corridor of Sports under the flagship project of the BRI, which was highly appreciated by the conference participants.
Obviously, since its inception, the BRI has predominantly been framed as a state-centric project of geoeconomics and infrastructure development, starting new types of economic partnership and financial cooperation based on free will and equality.
In summary, because of the rebirth of the genie of geopolitics, enforcing global land grabbing, controlling natural resources, spoiling sovereignty and creating massive economic disorder through the therapy of whims and wishes, the role of civil society and families has become increasingly critical around the globe.
The equation of Chinese development plans, policies and projects has come under fire because of ongoing conflicts, wars and disputes around the globe, which could be rectified by forming a Corridor of Families and activating civil society.
The writer submits that policymakers should think beyond economic and financial considerations and recognize the positive role of families and civil society in all member countries. It is high time to realize the real power of human connections, including family and matrimonial ties, within the broader framework of civil society. Such connections could strengthen mutual understanding and contribute to crisis management, disaster response and project management across the BRI’s expanding global outreach. The writer therefore urges decision-makers to consider this dimension positively as part of efforts to achieve shared prosperity and move towards a genuinely shared future.
(mehmoodulhassankhan7@gmail.
