How will the Belt and Road initiative advance China’s exports?

ABSTRACT

We examined 2007, 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016 data from 49 countries to determine changes wrought by China’s Belt and Road initiative; we also used panel data regarding the Maritime Silk and Inland Silk Roads to test initiative effects on Chinese exports. Post-initiative infrastructure expansion and logistics performance improvements led to positive effects on China’s exports. Additionally, legal-system similarities and inland borders with trade partners had a more positive effect on Chinese exports in the Inland Silk Road, while population and free trade agreements were found to have a more positive effect on the Maritime Silk Road.

KEYWORDS:

• Belt and road
• China exports
• infrastructure
• Inland silk road
• logistic performance index
• maritime silk road

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Research Support Project for Doctoral Degree Teachers of Jiangsu Normal University of China [grant number 18XWRS009]; the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 71573110]; the Jiangsu Education Department [grant number 2018SJZDI089].

Notes on contributors

Mei Ling Wang

Mei Ling Wang is a Lecturer, Department of International Economics & Trade, Business School, Jiangsu Normal University, China.

Qian Qiu

Qian Qiu is a Ph.D. Candidate, School of Political Science and Public Administration, China University of Political Science and Law, Beijing, China.

Chang Hwan Choi

Chang Hwan Choi is a Professor, Department of International Trade, Dankook University, South Korea.