In the 16th century, long before London and New York rose to international prominence, a trading route was discovered between Spanish America and China that ushered in a new era of globalisation. The ‘Ruta de la Plata’ or ‘Silver Way’ catalysed economic and cultural exchange, built the foundations for the first global currency and led to the rise of the first ‘world city’ - Mexico city.  Peter Gordon and Juan José Morales question the conventional narrative about globalisation, discuss whether the past could teach us more about China today and suggest a paradigm analogous to that of the Silk Road, which underpins China’s burgeoning involvement in Spanish America today.

        Peter Gordon is the founder and editor of the Asian Review of Books. He is also a publisher at Chameleon Press and was the driving force behind the Hong Kong International Literary Festival, the Man Asian Literary Prize and Hong Kong-based online bookseller Paddyfield.com.

        Juan José Morales is a regular commentator on Asian art and history, and a frequent contributor to regional and international publications. A lawyer by training, he is a former president of the Spanish Chamber of commerce in Hong Kong.

                                                                                                         19:30 9 Jun 2017