Skip to main content

Belt and Road Initiative (BRI): Mapping the Field and Identifying New Research Avenues

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Research and Innovation Forum 2020 (RIIFORUM 2020)

Abstract

Since its inception, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) sparked considerable attention of research community, on the one hand, reviving memories of the ancient Silk Road and its implications for culture, society, and economy, and on the other hand, triggering concerns about investment patterns, debt issues, and environmental sustainability, to mention just a few. BRI is an evolving policy framework and it is only gradually that it can be examined at full length, with the necessary academic rigor and insight. A look at the existing literature on BRI reveals a burst of interest and corresponding publications on BRI over the past few years. It is too early to claim though that a clearly defined research agenda related to BRI has crystallized. In this research note, factors that may have contributed to that are identified and the frames of a possible future consolidated BRI research agenda are outlined.

Build the road first if you want to get rich.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. T. Ladjal, T. Brahimi, The spirit of silk road: the impact of Medieval Chinese–Arab relations on the contemporary bilateral Sino–Arab relations, in The New Silk Road Leads through the Arab Peninsula: Mastering Global Business and Innovation, ed by A. Visvizi, M.D. Lytras, W. Alhalabi, X. Zhang (Emerald Publishing, Bingley, UK, 2019)

    Google Scholar 

  2. G. Hawke, Economic historical development and leadership underlying the BRI strategy, in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Understanding the Dynamics of a Global Transformation, ed by Y.W. Chay, T. Menkhoff, L. Low (World Scientific, 2019), pp. 19–43. 10.1142/9789811203275_0003

    Google Scholar 

  3. D.T. Van, The rise of China’s past in the “belt and road initiative” (from Historical Perspectives), in Silk Road to Belt Road, ed by M. Islam (Springer, Singapore, 2019), https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-13-2998-2_2

    Google Scholar 

  4. Y.W. Chay, T. Menkhoff, L. Low (eds), China’s belt and road initiative. Understanding the dynamics of a global transformation. World Sci. (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  5. M. Islam (ed), Silk Road to Belt Road (Springer, Singapore, 2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2998-2

    Google Scholar 

  6. A. Visvizi, M.D. Lytras, W. Alhalabi, X. Zhang (eds), The New Silk Road Leads Through the Arab Peninsula: Mastering Global Business and Innovation (Emerald Publishing, Bingley, UK, 2019)

    Google Scholar 

  7. A. Visvizi, The crisis in Greece and the EU-IMF rescue package: determinants and pitfalls. Acta Oeconomica 62(1), 15–39 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Ch. Schweiger, A. Visvizi (eds), Central and Eastern Europe in the EU: Challenges and Perspectives Under Crisis Conditions (Routledge, London & New York (Routledge Studies in the European Economy). ISBN: 978-1-13-871402-1 (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  9. NDRC, Tuidong gongjian sichouzhilu jingji dai he ershiyishiji haishang sichou zhilu de yuanjing yu xingdong 推动共建丝绸之路经济带和21世纪海上丝绸之路的愿景与行动 [Vision and Actions on Jointly Building Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road]. National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China with State Council authorization 经国务院授权, 国家发展改革委、外交部、商务部联合发布 28 Mar 2015 (2015), https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/zxxx_662805/t1249618.shtml

  10. PRC MoFA, China’s Arctic Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, fmprc.gov.cn, 26 Jan 2018

    Google Scholar 

  11. F. Manta, China’s policies on Polar Silk Road and impacts on trade and energy use in Arctic region. Chin. J. Population Resour. Environ. 17(4), 322–328 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1080/10042857.2019.1685360

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Z. Hu et al. 胡再勇, “Yidaiyilu yanxian guojia jichu sheshi de guoji maoyi xiaoying yanjiu” “一带一路”沿线国家基础设施的国际贸易效应研究 [Research on Infrastructures’ International Trade Effect in Countries along the ‘Belt and Road’ Initiative]. J. Quant. Econ. 数量经济与技术经济研究 36(02), 24–44 (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  13. C. Pei, 裴长洪, B. Liu 刘斌 (2020) Zhongguo Kaifangxing Jingjixue: goujian chanshi zhongguo kaifangchengjiu de jingji lilun. 中国开放型经济学: 构建阐释中国开放成就的经济理论 [China’s Open Economy: Constructing the Economic Theory of Interpreting China’s Open Achievements]. China Soc. Sci. 中国社会科学, 2020(02), 46–69+205

    Google Scholar 

  14. W.T. Selmier II., The belt and road initiative and the influence of Islamic economies. Econ. Polit. Stud. 6, 257–277 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Y. Li, H.J. Schmerer, Trade and the new silk road: opportunities, challenges, and solutions. J. Chin. Econ. Bus. Stud. 15, 205–213 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. G. Jin, 金刚, K. Shen 沈坤荣, Zhongguo qiye dui Yidaiyilu yanxian guojia de jiaotong touzi xiaoying: fazhan haishi zhaiwu xianjing 中国企业对 “一带一路”沿线国家的交通投资效应:发展效应还是债务陷阱 [Chinese Enterprises’ Transportation Investment Effect in Belt and Road Countries: Development Effect or Debt Trap]. Zhongguo Gongye Jingji 中国工业经济 9 (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  17. L. Xue, 薛澜, L. Weng 翁凌飞, Guanyu zhongguo yidaiyilu changyi tuidong lianheguo 2030 nian kechixu fazhan yicheng de sikao 关于中国 “一带一路”倡议推动联合国《2030年可持续发展议程》的思考 [Reflections on China’s ‘Belt and Road’ Initiative to promote the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development]. Bull. Chin. Acad. Sci. 中国科学院院刊 2008, 33(01), 40–47 (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  18. K. Iqbal, Significance and security of CPEC: A Pakistani perspective. China Int’l Stud. 2017, 66 (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Y. Li, X. Zhu, The 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and China’s belt and road initiative in Latin America and the Caribbean. Sustainability 11, 2297 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. H.C. Teo, A.M. Lechner, G.W. Walton, F.K.S. Chan, A. Cheshmehzangi, M. Tan-Mullins, H.K. Chan, T. Sternberg, A. Campos-Arceiz, Environmental impacts of infrastructure development under the belt and road initiative. Environments 6, 72 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. K. Kozłowski, BRI and its digital dimension: twists and turns. J. Sci. Technol. Policy Manag., https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTPM-06-2018-0062 (2018)

  22. X. Wei, Y. Wei, P. Chen, C. Fan, H. Luo, Q. Zhao, Y. Kong, The analysis of online silk road from the perspective of big data, in The New Silk Road Leads through the Arab Peninsula: Mastering Global Business and Innovation, ed. by A. Visvizi, M.D. Lytras, W. Alhalabi, X. Zhang (Emerald Publishing, Bingley, UK, 2019)

    Google Scholar 

  23. F. Shaikh, Q. Ji, Y. Fan, Prospects of Pakistan–China energy and economic corridor. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 59, 253–263 (2016), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2015.12.361

  24. K. Kozłowski, The past, the present, and the future of the new silk road: China as a leader or a free-rider in international relations, in The New Silk Road Leads Through the Arab Peninsula: Mastering Global Business and Innovation, ed by A. Visvizi, M.D. Lytras, W. Alhalabi, X. Zhang (Emerald Publishing, Bingley, UK, 2019)

    Google Scholar 

  25. F.M. De Soyres, R. Marie, A. Mulabdic, M. Ruta, Common transport infrastructure: a quantitative model and estimates from the belt and road initiative (English). Policy Research working paper; no. WPS 8801 (World Bank Group, Washington, D.C., 2019), https://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/879031554144957551/Common-Transport-Infrastructure-A-Quantitative-Model-and-Estimates-from-the-Belt-and-Road-Initiative

  26. M.K. Khan, I.A. Sandano, C.B. Pratt, T. Farid, China’s belt and road initiative: a global model for an evolving approach to sustainable regional development. Sustainability 10, 4234 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Y. Wang, Offensive for defensive: the belt and road initiative and China’s new grand strategy. Pac. Rev. 29, 455–463 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. W. Liu, M. Dunford, Inclusive globalization: unpacking China’s belt and road initiative. Area Devel. Policy 1(3), 323–340 (2016), https://doi.org/10.1080/23792949.2016.1232598

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. OECD, China’s Belt and Road Initiative in the Global Trade, Investment and Finance Landscape, OECD BUSINESS AND FINANCE OUTLOOK 2018 (OECD Publishing, Paris, 2018), p. 3

    Google Scholar 

  30. A. Surdej, Multilateralism and international governmental organizations: principles and instruments. Transforming Gov. People, Process Policy 14(3) (2020), https://doi.org/10.1108/TG-11-2019-0107

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anna Visvizi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Visvizi, A., Wang, J., Kozłowski, K. (2021). Belt and Road Initiative (BRI): Mapping the Field and Identifying New Research Avenues. In: Visvizi, A., Lytras, M.D., Aljohani, N.R. (eds) Research and Innovation Forum 2020. RIIFORUM 2020. Springer Proceedings in Complexity. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62066-0_47

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62066-0_47

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-62065-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-62066-0

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics