The Belt and Road Initiative: Goals and Challenges

2020 ◽  
pp. 167
Author(s):  
Adnan Khalaf i Hammed Al-Badrani ◽  
Hind Ziyad Nafeih
Keyword(s):  
Development Strategy ◽  
Soft Power ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Power Lines ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
Ancient Silk Road ◽  
Main Engine ◽  
The Belt And Road

The Belt and Road Initiative is an initiative to revive the ancient Silk Road, through networks of land and sea roads, oil and gas pipelines, electric power lines, the Internet and airports, to create a model of regional and international cooperation.       It is essentially a long-term development strategy, launched by the Chinese president in 2013 to become the main engine of Chinese domestic policy and foreign diplomacy and within the framework of the soft power strategy, to enhance its position and influence in the world as a peaceful and responsible country.   The study includes identifying the initiative and setting goals for China, as well as the challenges and difficulties that hinder the initiative.

Is it win-win alignment of the Chinese Belt and Road initiative and the Nurly Zhol programme in Kazakhstan? A case study

2021 ◽  
Vol 136 (3) ◽  
pp. 21-33
Author(s):  
A. Issina ◽  
◽  
R. Elmurzayeva ◽  
A. Yesdauletova ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Strategic Partnership ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
Strategic Partnerships ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
Hegemonic Stability ◽  
The Belt And Road

China’s Belt and Road Initiative is far-reaching policy which aims to expand and strengthen China’s influence in the international sphere. It encompasses many countries around the globe and has the intention of achieving mutual economic growth. Through Belt and Road Initiative, China is establishing multiple strategic partnerships with both small and large countries through the development of infrastructure: the New Silk Road routes from Asia to Europe; the construction of oil and gas pipelines between Central Asia and China; and modernized seaports. This study will analyse the Chinese initiative as evidence for hegemonic stability theory in relation to long-term impact; and the convergence between the Belt and Road and Nurly Zhol programmes in relation to short-term impacts on the development of Kazakhstan. The methods used are theory building; and a comparative analysis of the two programmes in terms of establishing a strategic partnership between China and Kazakhstan. The China International Initiative is an entirely new global mechanism of international cooperation that aims to achieve mutually beneficial and successful development. The participating countries that are actively involved in it, and will receive significant benefits, and this is about 150 countries and more than 30 international organizations that have already signed documents on cooperation with China within the framework of this initiative. In conclusion, conclusions are given regarding the alignment of interests with the program Nurly-Zhol and from the Chinese initiative for the development of the Belt and Road.

China’s Soft Power in Pakistan: The Representation of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor in Local Newspapers

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (04) ◽  
pp. 5-18
Author(s):  
Zahid Shahab AHMED ◽  
Ahsan HANIF ◽  
Baogang HE
Keyword(s):  
Soft Power ◽  
News Coverage ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
Local Newspapers ◽  
Newspaper Reporting ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
The Belt And Road

This article conducts a case study of China’s influence on Pakistan by collecting and analysing news coverage from two prominent English and Urdu newspapers in Pakistan for a five-year period between 2013 and 2018. It compares the changes in newspaper reporting before and after the launch of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in 2015. Analysis has shown a significant increase in positive reporting on the CPEC and China. The case of Pakistan is representative of its recognition of China’s soft power in a developing country, thus offering a new perspective on China’s goodwill vis-à-vis the Belt and Road Initiative.

scholarly journals CEEC’s-China mechanism of cooperation and the belt and road initiative: From idea to institutionalisation - six years later

2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 311-336
Author(s):  
Dusko Dimitrijevic ◽  
Nikola Jokanovic
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
International Relations ◽  
International Development ◽  
Development Strategy ◽  
Dominant Role ◽  
Policy Position ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
Intergovernmental Cooperation ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
The Belt And Road

The paper analyzes the process of institutionalization of intergovernmental cooperation and coordination of state policies through the mechanism of cooperation between the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEEC) and China, known in the public as ?16 + 1? (i.e., ?17 + 1? starting in 2019). Through an eclectic picture of the development of contemporary international relations, the authors indicate in a methodologically accessible manner that this mechanism of cooperation is a significant impetus for the development of international relations. Since China has taken a dominant role in redefining the Global Management System, whose goals are balanced and sustainable international development, to achieve them, China has identified certain ideological frameworks that are present in its foreign policy through the Belt and Road Initiative. Through this Initiative, China seeks to achieve the broader goals of the New Silk Road development strategy, which not only determines the directions of China?s internal development, but provides guidance for its strategic cooperation with neighbouring countries as well as with countries on other continents. Consequently, the mechanism itself thus plays an important role in strengthening China?s foreign policy position, not only with respect to CEEC, but also with respect to other European countries, including the EU as a whole.

scholarly journals Chińska inicjatywa pasa i szlaku a ryzyko zadłużenia jej beneficjentów

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula Tomaszewska
Keyword(s):  
International System ◽  
Research Problem ◽  
Global Supply Chains ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
Scientific Goal ◽  
The World ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
Infrastructure Investments ◽  
The Belt And Road

Chinese Belt and Road initiative (BRI) is not only an economic or political project, but also has the potential to transform the international system. The initiative‘s impact is large – from stimulating the financing of infrastructure investments in various countries around the world to the development of new global supply chains. The scientific goal of the article is to analyze the consequences of implementing the initiative. The research problem is included in the following question: does the Belt and Road Initiative contribute to increasing Chinese influence in the world and carries the risk of driving poorer countries into the ―debt trap‖? The conclusion from the article is that China should create an improved version of the BRI initiative based on a better risk assessment of the current projects. Infrastructure investments, if not carefully implemented and controlled, may lead to consequences, such as increasing the debt of some countries in the long term.

DOES THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE RESHAPE CHINA’S OUTWARD FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN ASEAN? SHIFTING MOTIVES OF STATE-OWNED AND PRIVATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
SHI JIN ◽  
HU XIAOHUI ◽  
LI YUNXIONG ◽  
FENG TAO
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Direct Investment ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
Conditional Logit ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
Asean Countries ◽  
The Belt And Road ◽  
Socio Economic Factors

In recent years, China has been increasingly witnessed as a major global outward investor, especially since the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013. The question of whether and if yes how the BRI reshapes firm outward investment motives remains under-researched. Using a project-level database of China’s Outward Direct Investment from the Ministry of Commerce from 2010 to 2015, this paper investigates the changing investment motives of state-owned and private-owned enterprises (SOEs and POEs) before and after the implementation of the BRI in two periods, namely 2010–2013 and 2014–2015. Our conditional logit models show that (1) market-seeking is one of the key motives for both POEs and SOEs; (2) POEs pursued natural resources in ASEAN based on geographical and relational proximity in the pre-BRI period while SOEs are directed to exploit natural resources in ASEAN besides remoter destinations after the launch of the BRI; (3) POEs are risk-taking in both periods, which runs counter to conventional expectations. This can be explained by the long-term investment tradition of POEs in ASEAN in which POEs are attracted predominantly by socio-economic factors and often less sensitive to variegated host institutions among ASEAN countries and (4) the BRI promotes Chinese OFDI in ASEAN through increased senior leader visits and enhanced diplomatic relations.

Quest for the Middle Kingdom: the Political Effects of China’s Ambitions in the Belt and Road Initiative

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matt McGregor
Keyword(s):  
Soft Power ◽  
Domestic Politics ◽  
International System ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Infrastructure Development ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Economic Relations ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
The Belt And Road

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is Chinese President Xi Jinping’s brand for economic infrastructure development and investment. The BRI offers significant strategic advantages to the PRC and many benefits to partner countries, and is intended to situate China at the centre of international trade. At the same time, unintended consequences of investment will impact local populations in key areas, including population displacement, environmental degradation, corruption, political upheaval, exploitation and violent conflict. While the BRI offers significant opportunities to both China and its partner countries in the initiative, relative Chinese military weakness, the limits of economic activity, underdeveloped soft power authority, energy dependency, terrorism and domestic politics will all either inhibit the BRI or remain vulnerable aspects of the Chinese national interest as projects move forward. The BRI has the potential to reshape the economic relations of the world, however the strategic limitations of the project do not indicate a short or mid-term upheaval of the international system in favor of China or an end to China’s political challenges at home and abroad. This essay views the realist and constructivist schools of international relations theory as the most useful way to understand the motivations and consequences of the BRI. The long term effects on the global balance of power will also be examined, especially in the context of Xi’s vision for China in 2050.

The Prospect of Belt and Road Initiative in the Context of Bangladesh

China Report ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 464-483
Author(s):  
Rubiat Saimum
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Primary Sources ◽  
The Political ◽  
Collaborative Effort ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
Economic Issues ◽  
Economic Basis ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
The Belt And Road

The purpose of this article is to examine the prospect of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) from the perspective of Bangladesh. The article investigates fundamental aspects of China’s economic involvement in Bangladesh to understand the geo-economic basis of the initiative. In this respect, the objective and motivation behind Chinese involvement in Bangladesh’s economy are studied, and the political and economic challenges emanating from the participation of the latter country in the initiative are outlined. Methodologically, this research adopts a qualitative approach and relies on primary sources to collect data. It concludes with an observation that Chinese investments through BRI could, in the long term, be advantageous for Bangladesh’s economy as long as the regional and economic issues associated with the initiative are appropriately dealt with. Besides, it suggests that the success of the initiative in South Asia, as well as in Bangladesh, requires a collaborative effort from all the states of the region on functional issue areas such as trade and connectivity.

Geographies of infrastructure III: Infrastructure with Chinese characteristics

2021 ◽  
pp. 030913252110336
Author(s):  
Kathryn Furlong
Keyword(s):  
Urban Growth ◽  
Critical Infrastructure ◽  
Progress Report ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
Chinese Characteristics ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
State Projects ◽  
Infrastructure Studies ◽  
The Belt And Road

For 25 years, China has staked its development on domestic and global infrastructure expansion. This third progress report on geographies of infrastructure explores what China’s far-reaching infrastructure venture means for critical infrastructure studies. Reviewing China’s infrastructure-driven urban growth, the Belt and Road Initiative and their links, three recommendations are advanced: (1) a reengagement with the state that takes its geographical and temporal diversity seriously, (2) an approach to infrastructure as part of a complex network of state projects with long-term ends, and (3) a concern with infrastructures of repression and confinement in wider processes of making things ‘flow’.

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