Leaders see chance of link to ‘new Silk Road’
TOWN leaders say Macclesfield has a major opportunity to cash in on China’s massive investment in the ‘new Silk Road’.
The Silk Road was a series of ancient trading routes from China to Europe in the days of the Roman Empire. Many products were traded, including China’s precious export silk.
Now China is investing in the ‘ biggest infrastructure project of all time’ to revive the Silk Road and boost its links to the West. Its building roads, trains, ports and other infrastructure projects to mimic the old ‘Silk Road’.
Macclesfield has been called the western end of the Silk Road, due to its silk industry heritage.
So now town leaders say the ‘new Silk Road’ brings an unmissable opportunity for Macclesfield, to forge links with China and seek investment.
Heritage consultant Gra- ham Barrow, who lives in Bollington, has worked in Xi’an city which is considered the eastern end of the Silk Road.
He’s had an invitation from a contact in a tourism development company there for him and Cheshire East representatives to go to China.
Cheshire East states it’s had no formal invitation and there is no money to fund a trip at the moment.
But Graham is meeting with Cheshire East bosses this week to discuss it.
He said: “This is a fantastic opportunity. The investment in the new Silk Road plays into our laps of trying to establish Macclesfield as the western end of it.
“In Xi’an there are plans for a new Silk Road park and there could be a street mimicking Macclesfield. We could have a national silk centre and Silk Quarter with a statue saying we’re the western end of the Silk Road.
“The aim is to put Macclesfield on the tourist trail and attract Chinese investment. We need to think big.”
Earlier this year a Chinese TV crew filmed in Macclesfield and the footage was broadcast to a billion viewers.
Coun Beverley Dooley, Macclesfield mayor, said; “We don’t want to miss any opportunities especially with Brexit on the horizon. Any opportunity to celebrate our history with a 21 century twist in my opinion would be good for Maccles- field.”
Pete Turner, town clerk, said: “We are at the beginning of communications with Xi’an and hope to build a relationship. No formal approach has been made, nor has one been received, but the council might consider how a relationship could benefit both communities.”