• Title/Summary/Keyword: Belt and Road

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In the middle of a perfect storm: political risks of the Belt and Road project at Kyaukphyu, Myanmar

  • Morris, David
    • Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia
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    • v.20 no.2
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    • pp.210-236
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    • 2021
  • China's Belt and Road Initiative infrastructure connectivity and other projects are presented in much of the discourse as a grand strategy to trap developing nations in debt, to exert asymmetric power and construct a new world economic order. The asymmetric relationship between China and Myanmar might therefore be expected to generate a range of political risks for stakeholders. Myanmar itself presents a "perfect storm" of problems, with dysfunctional governance, civil conflict, under-development and growing economic dependence on China. The Kyaukphyu port project and associated Special Economic Zone in Myanmar's troubled Rakhine state is investigated as a case study of risks on the Belt and Road. While worst case fears China might seize military control of the port appear unlikely, at least in current conditions, empirical observation indicates the complexity on the ground generates an array of other risks - as well as opportunities, should conditions allow. Further, despite challenges and constrained capacity, Myanmar governments have demonstrated agency, including by re-negotiating control and costs of the Kyaukphyu project. The case underlines that conditions are more complicated than simply China's asymmetric power. A sceptical approach is taken to normative discourses in order to build inductive understanding of how stakeholders and local experts perceive dynamics underway. A political risk approach is deployed to develop a framework to identify, analyse and assess risks for actors in relation to the Kyaukphyu project. The research findings are presented on an interim basis, given current constraints on field interviews due to the current crisis.

The Impact of Trade Facilitation on Bilateral Trade Flows-Focusing on China and the other Belt and Road member countries (무역원활화가 양국 간 무역에 미치는 영향 -중국과 일대일로 회원국을 중심으로-)

  • Hai-Ming Guan;Hail Park
    • Korea Trade Review
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    • v.45 no.4
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    • pp.25-43
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    • 2020
  • This study mainly measures the level of trade facilitation in member countries along the "the Belt and Road" and discusses the impact of trade facilitation on bilateral trade. Based on the research results of domestic and foreign scholars, this study made a new systematic measuring system which covering 4 indicators and 15 subordinate indicators, to obtain the trade facilitation index. Based on the extended gravity model, this paper conducts a panel data, for more than 50 major trading members along the "the Belt and Road" during 2010~2017 as an example to empirically study the relationship between the trade facilitation level of major trading members and the volume of China's import and export trade. The results show that the level of trade facilitation among member countries is not high and the trade facilitation variable has positive value, indicating that the trade facilitation variable has positive effect on increasing bilateral trade. If the trade facilitation increases by 1% respectively, the bilateral trade level will increase by 0.98% separately. Finally, according to the regression results of four aspects of the trade facilitation index system, e-business development plays the most significant role in promoting trade facilitation.

The Belt and Road Initiative in Lebanon: A Promising Initiative in a Complex Society

  • AL SHAHER, Shaher;ZREIK, Mohamad
    • The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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    • v.9 no.2
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    • pp.151-158
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    • 2022
  • The study aims to investigate Lebanese-Chinese relations within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. Lebanon formally joined the effort in 2017; this paper emphasizes Lebanon's geostrategic importance. The paper presents an assessment of the investment risks in Lebanon, which is considered an economically unstable country with a volatile security situation, with many internal and external political hurdles. The paper refers to the obstacles and challenges that the Chinese investor may face in Lebanese society. The study employs qualitative descriptive analysis to address the status of Chinese investment in Lebanon and the consequences of this partnership; the paper examines previous research related to the Belt and Road Initiative and the Lebanese political, security, and economic situation literature. Due to the deteriorating security situation, external intervention, and the economic crisis, the results reveal that Lebanon is not a top investment priority for China, which is a big impediment to China entering into economic cooperation with Lebanon. The findings of this study suggest that the Lebanese government should adopt an anti-corruption policy to build confidence for the Chinese investor, reduce unnecessary public spending, and hold a national dialogue to build confidence among the Lebanese parties.

Empirical Analysis of the Changes in the Patterns of Chinese Firms' Outward Foreign Direct Investment in the Belt and Road Initiative Countries (중국 기업의 일대일로 국가에 대한 해외직접투자 패턴 변화에 관한 실증연구)

  • Wonchan Ra;Zu-Kweon Kim
    • Korea Trade Review
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    • v.47 no.6
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    • pp.307-333
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    • 2022
  • In recent years, the outward foreign direct investment (oFDI) in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by Chinese companies has significantly increased in size and changed in content. However, changes in the oFDI patterns between the pre- and post-BRI periods have not received sufficient attention from academia despite their theoretical and strategic significance. This paper reviewed existing research to establish seven hypotheses on changes in the oFDI patterns of Chinese companies investing in BRI countries and conducted empirical analyses to test the hypotheses using secondary data. The results showed that after the BRI agreement, Chinese oFDI in BRI countries was more active in less economically and less institutionally developed countries, that the oFDI by privately-owned enterprises (POEs) increased more than that of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and that SOEs were more active in the social overhead capital (SOC) area while POEs were more active in the non-SOC area. The paper concludes with a summary, implications, and future research directions.

The Belt Road Initiatives, Identity Politics, and The Making of Southeast Asian Identity

  • Pamungkas, Cahyo;Hakam, Saiful
    • SUVANNABHUMI
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    • v.11 no.2
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    • pp.59-83
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    • 2019
  • The Chinese Belt Road initiatives in the Southeast Asian countries marked a new chapter in the development of China political influence on this region. This article looks at the initiative from the cultural dimension and aims to place its narrative as the entry point to understand the use of identity politics in Asian countries that target the Chinese diaspora. This topic relates to the primordial sentiments of Southeast Asian nations amid massive Chinese investment in the region. The issue of Chinese investments under the Belt Road Initiative corridor has a relationship with the formation of anti-Chinese discourse and anti-communist in some Southeast Asian countries. We took the cases of Indonesian and Malaysian elections to observe the use of identity politics and anti-Chinese political discourse in Southeast Asia. In both cases, a common issue emerged, that of the strengthening both Islamic and indigenous sensibilities. The establishment of ASEAN during the Cold War may be seen then as an anti-thesis to emerging Chinese power. However, anti-Chinese and anti-communism sentiments were not enough to unite the forces of the nations of Southeast Asia. We have concluded that brotherhood, mutual prosperity, and anti-neo-colonialism are yet to be fostered completely to make a distinct ASEAN identity.

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A Study on China's One Belt, One Road Policy and South Korea's Measures for Facilitating Tourist Visits from China (중국의 일대일로(一带一路) 정책을 활용한 방한관광콘텐츠 전략)

  • Jung, In-Suk
    • Journal of Digital Contents Society
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    • v.19 no.6
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    • pp.1145-1150
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    • 2018
  • In order to realize the new diplomatic development for the establishment of 'Asia Fate Community', Xi Jinping has adopted a "One Road, One Belt" policy. Based on five core philosophies, One Road, One Belt with neighboring countries has been established to full-sided cooperation and mutual benefit relations. In this paper, I would like to suggest some suggestions on how to use China's One Road, One Belt policy and Korea's Eurasian Initiative in Development strategy of tourism contents. First, The bridge role of Korean companies should lead to the development of tourism contents. Second, the promotion of tourism contents development for Chinese individual tourists should lead to another tourism contents. Third, we need to find ways to win joint orders with local companies in China so that they can lead to tourism contents. Fourth, seeking active use of workers and international students living in Korea. Fifth, the development of tourism contents based on cooperative relationship with North Korea.

An Empirical Study on the Impact of China's One Belt and One Road Initiative on Asian Countries and North Korean Economy in the Aspect of Digital Transformation of the 4th Industrial Revolution (4차 산업혁명의 디지털 트랜스포메이션 측면에서 중국의 일대일로 구상이 아시아 국가와 북한 경제에 미치는 영향의 실증 연구)

  • Park, Chul-Soo
    • Knowledge Management Research
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    • v.21 no.4
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    • pp.59-88
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    • 2020
  • This study is to examine the influence of Asian countries on the economic field, and to explain the characteristics and purposes of China's Belt and Road Initiative using data analysis. The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze the influence and characteristics of China's One-to-One Road Initiative on the economic sector by examining trade and investment in Asian countries adjacent to China. In particular, the One-to-One Road initiative is proceeding in a way that connects China and neighboring countries. It is to understand the dependence of the Asian countries in China on the Chinese economy. In addition, it is intended to derive implications by grasping and evaluating what the level is based on data. This study also attempts to grasp the influence and ripple effects of the one-on-one strategy on the Chinese economy and the North Korean economy, where dependence is deepening. Recently, the strategy for Asian countries through a one-to-one initiative in China has been restructured in the framework of the construction of the "21st century Maritime Silk Road" and emphasizes the cooperation mechanism led by the country. In progress of the one Belt and One Road, Chinese ICT companies are remarkable. This study looked at the influence of China's digital one Belt and One Road on Asian countries.

The 'One Belt One Road' Initiative and Development of Inland Port in China (중국 '일대일로' 이니셔티브와 내륙항의 발전)

  • Lee, Choong Bae;Lee, Jong Chul
    • Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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    • v.33 no.3
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    • pp.1-16
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    • 2017
  • China has achieved rapid economic growth in the late 1970s with economic reform and open-door policy. China's economic growth began initially in the eastern coastal areas and from the 2000s expanded to the western and northeastern regions where the economy was relatively underdeveloped. In particular, in 2013 'One-Belt One Road' initiative proposed by Xi Jinping, the current General Secretary of the Communist Party of China is not only a key strategy for China's advancement into the world and also provides important opportunities for the development of these backward regions. Inland Port is the inland logistics hub and plays a crucial role in enhancing access to maritime ports as well as access to adjacent inland countries. Therefore, a number of inland ports have been developed and operated in order to enter into overseas markets and secure resources in the northeastern and western regions of China. This study aims to examine the role and development of inland port in 'One-Belt One Road' scheme. In conclusion, 'One-Belt One Road' will further increase the role of inland port, and in response, the development of inland port will play a pivotal role in one belt one road initiative. In this respect, Korean companies need to consider plans to participate in the development and operation of inland ports in China, which would provide opportunities to spread Northern markets including China, Russia, Central Asia, Eastern Europe.

The Impact of National Stereotypes towards Country-of-Origin Images on Purchase Intention: Empirical Evidence from Countries of the Belt and Road Initiative

  • WANG, Li;SHEN, Xiangdong;YAN, Lei
    • The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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    • v.9 no.1
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    • pp.409-422
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    • 2022
  • The purpose of this paper is to explore how the country-of-origin image mediates the effect of national stereotypes along two dimensions of perceived competence and warmth, on consumers' consumption behaviors, especially in today's environment, the capricious COVID-19 and the deepening and expanding "The Belt and Road" initiative. Research design, data, and methodology: After collecting 1500 primary data from twelve countries along the 21st - Century Maritime Silk Road, this paper conducts ANOVA and SEM in SPSS25.0 and AMOS 24.0 separately to analyze measurements, structural models, and hypotheses via using 1277 final samples. The mediation results illustrate the asymmetric dominance of the two dimensions of national stereotypes, indicating that the country-of-origin image shows the complementary mediation in the effect of perceived competence on purchase intention; whereas, the country-of-origin image holds the indirect-only mediation in the impact of perceived warmth on purchase intention. The results of the moderation show that the effect of country-of-origin image on purchase intention is more significant for consumers who perceive COVID-19 in China to be of lesser severity than those who believe it to be of higher severity. Based on the paper's results, some implications for practice and theory are highlighted.

The Impacts of Inland Ports on the Geopolitical Relations between China and Central Asia under the 'One Belt One Road' Initiative ('일대일로' 이니셔티브 하에서 내륙항이 중국-중앙아시아의 지정학적 관계에 미치는 영향)

  • Choong-bae Lee;Jin-Ho Noh;Yanfeng Liu
    • Korea Trade Review
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    • v.45 no.3
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    • pp.35-54
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    • 2020
  • China's 'One Belt One Road' initiative has had a profound impact on China's relationship with Central Asia, which shares borders at North-western region. Central Asia plays an important role in securing the export market of Chinese products, supply of raw materials, and transportation route to Europe. The inland port is of significance to facilitate the development of logistics, trade and industry in the surrounding areas by enabling the distribution and import and export clearance in the region by performing the role of the seaport on the hinterland. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of the development of inland ports in central and western China on the geopolitical relationship between China and Central Asia. To this end, we analyze the status of inland port development in China's Midwest by employing the SWOT-PEST analysis method to analyze the current status as well as prospects of trade, investment and transportation routes with Central Asia in terms of geopolitics. As a result of the analysis, the relations between China and Central Asian Countries are becoming more politically and economically close, but it has brought about serious challenges by domestic and foreign environmental changes. Therefore, the development of the inland ports in central and western China are determined by the geopolitical relations under 'One Belt One Road' initiative between China and Central Asia, while the development of the inland port is also expected to serve as a catalyst for the development of both regions.