Global Ocean-Continent Transition and East-West Division Since Modern Times:Interconnections and Historical Impact
Human history has been closely intertwined with geography.Prior to the modern era,humanity primarily lived on land,which can be referred to as the"Continental Age".With the advent of the modem period,marked by the opening of new sea routes and major geographical discoveries,the significance of the oceans in-creased dramatically.Maritime power began to overshadow land power,signaling the triumph of the sea over the land and ushering humanity into the"Maritime Age".During this time,the West rose to prominence while the East began to decline,eventually leading to the dominance of the West over the East and the widespread accept-ance of the"West-centric"narrative.Since the end of the Cold War,and particularly in the new century,glo-balization and integration have accelerated,with rapid advancements in transportation technologies significantly diminishing the importance of geographical factors.The world now faces unprecedented changes,shifting from a historical imbalance between land and sea to a new equilibrium characterized by the retreat of maritime domi-nance and the resurgence of continental influence.This article argues that the conflict between maritime and con-tinental civilizations has jointly shaped the modern world,while the interaction between Eastern and Western civilizations has collectively created world history.The path of history,aligned with the natural order of the uni-verse,lies in the harmonious integration of land and sea,and the coexistence of East and West.This perspective aligns with China's Belt and Road Initiative,which advocates for balanced development and cooperation across regions,ultimately revealing the lack of historical basis for the"West-centric"view.
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