China is currently on an upward trajectory to reclaim its status as a leading nation. Yet, the nation remains vulnerable due to the lack of control of its vital seaplanes. To address that vulnerability, the new silk road project is high on the agenda of China's global strategy of the 21 century. Should this project become successful, it may change the world we live in, which has been defined by the Anglo Saxon seapower in the past two centuries.

Paul Lacourbe is Associate Professor of Operations Management at CEU Business School. He holds a Ph.D. from INSEAD in France, and he served on the faculty at ESSEC in France before joining CEU Business School. Currently, his research and teaching deals primarily with the management of new product innovation and supply chain. He is particularly interested in the psychological aspects in product design and in managing supply chains for EastWest trade. His chapter, "The Role of Hungarian Railway on the New Silk Road," appeared in the book, ''Managing Supply Chains on the Silk Road: Strategy, Performance, and Risk''. He is also a member of the faculty team at CEU Business School that oversees the new entrepreneurship incubator at CEU founded by George Soros.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, selforganized events that bring people together to share a TEDlike experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, selforganized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are selforganized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)