The Palgrave Handbook of Globalization with Chinese Characteristics: The Case of the Belt and Road Initiative

Description

This handbook offers readers various perspectives on globalization and multilateralism with Chinese characteristics. Its originality is derived from the hybrid approaches the handbook takes, where chapters provide complementary, intertwined, and multi-level analysis on the topic. Based on contributions of scholars and practitioners from a number of countries, the handbook helps readers to comprehend ongoing debates on the Belt and Road Initiative and global governance, within a shifting balance of world power, characterized by competing views between Western and Chinese norms, standards, values, and narratives. Split into three Parts, and consisting of 45 chapters, the handbook views globalization as comprehensive concept that benefits from the contributions of various disciplines such as geography, geo-economics, political science and international relations. In producing one of the most ambitious and updated outputs on the topic, the handbook as a whole seeks to discuss what globalization with Chinese characteristics looks like, and the role of the Belt and Road Initiative in this process. Foreword Acknowledgements Contents Notes on Contributors List of Figures List of Graphs List of Tables 1 Introduction 1 Part I 2 Part II 3 Part III Part I Manifestations and Impacts of the BRI vis-à-vis Global Governance 2 The BRI in Historical Perspective: PRC Economic Statecraft Since 1949 1 Introduction 2 Economic Statecraft: An International Historical Perspective 3 China’s Economic Statecraft Since 1900 4 Chinese Economic Statecraft Meets International Pushback 5 Conclusion Bibliographic References 3 China, the BRI, and the New Vocabulary of Global Governance 1 Introduction 2 The Belt and Road Initiative, Community of Shared Destiny, and Common Prosperity 3 Sovereignty: The Five Principle of Peaceful Coexistence and Win-Win Cooperation 4 Economic Globalization, Self-Reliance, and Dual Circulation 5 Development, Rule of Law, and Human Rights 6 Conclusion Bibliographic References 4 The Globalizing Discourse of the Belt and Road Initiative 1 Introduction 2 Chinese Discourses “Going Global” 3 Globalizing the Discourse Through the B&RI 4 Conclusion Bibliographic References 5 The BRI in Xi’s China “Grand Strategy”: An Instrument to Restore Chinese Centrality in a New Era 1 Introduction 2 “Eclectic Approach” and the Concept of “Grand Strategy” 3 Xi’s China: Ambitions and Goals 4 The Xi’s China New Silk Road and Its Geo-Economic Motivations 5 Xi’s China International Policy and the BRI 5.1 Connecting Geo-Economics and Geopolitics in Asia and Eurasia 5.2 Reshaping Global Governance, Transforming International Order, and Building a New Sino-Centric World 5.3 The Competitive Bipolarity with the US 6 Final Remarks: Xi’s China—Too Far and Too Fast? Bibliographic References 6 People-to-People Exchanges: A Cluster of Narratives to Advance Purposeful Constructivism 1 Introduction 2 Literature Review 3 People-to-People Exchanges in Chinese Contexts 4 How Do We Understand People-to-People Exchanges? 5 Conclusion Bibliographic References 7 The Belt and Road Initiative in Global Governance: Impact on the International World Order 1 Introduction 2 Global Governance 3 The Belt and Road Initiative as an Imprecisely Defined Catalyst 4 Conclusion Bibliographic References 8 Glocalization of Belt and Road Initiatives: The Importance of Local Agency 1 Introduction 2 Why Is Local Agency Important? 3 Defining and Discerning Local Agency 4 Situating BRI Glocalization Within the Globalization Debate 5 Conclusion Bibliographic References 9 The Chinese Agenda on the World Economic Forum: Assessing Political Evidence Between Rhetoric and Practice 1 Introduction 2 China’s Participation in the International Economic Architecture 3 The World Economic Forum: Origins and Evolution 4 China in the World Economic Forum: From 1979 to Early 2022 5 Dissonance Between Rhetoric and Practice in China’s Proclaimed Ideas in Davos 6 Conclusion Bibliographic References 10 COVID-19 Pandemic, China, and Global Power Shifts: Understanding the Interplay and Implications 1 Introduction 2 Shifting Sands of International Relations 3 Belt and Road Initiative 4 COVID-19 and Implications of BRI 5 Conclusion Bibliographic References 11 Enacting Inclusive Globalization in a VUCA Context While Emerging from COVID-19 1 Introduction 2 International Perspectives on the BRI Project 3 Emergence and Dynamic Complexity 4 Brief Summary on Complex Attractors and Behaviours in Context 5 Potential Attractor Basins Within Project Negotiations for the BRI Initiative 6 Building Projective Scenarios 7 From Domains to Ports, Portals, and Scenarios 8 Imagined Projections: Three Previous Examples of Influential Scenarios 9 Waving or Drowning? Taking Account of Catastrophic Potentials Bibliographic References 12 China’s Ambition in Promoting Green Finance for Belt and Road Initiative 1 Introduction 2 Environmental Diplomacy and BRI 3 China’s Green Financing Legal Background 4 The Chinese Banking Industry and the Role of Banks in Green Financing 5 Conclusion Bibliographic References 13 Liability of Emergingness of Emerging Market Banks Internationalizing to Advanced Economies 1 Introduction 2 Literature Review 2.1 Internationalization of EMNCs 2.2 Neo-Institutional Theory Approach to Internationalization 3 Methodology 3.1 Data Access and Collection 3.2 Data Analysis 4 Findings 4.1 EMBs’ Engagement in Isomorphic Processes 4.2 EMBs’ Legitimacy in Host and Home Markets 5 Discussion Bibliographic References 14 Chinese Health Strategy: A Tool Towards Global Governance 1 Introduction 2 Health Global Governance and Health Diplomacy—Theoretical Framework 3 Chinese Healthcare System: Major Reforms from the 80s Until the Present day 4 The “Healthy China 2030” Plan 5 Development Assistance for Health: The Chinese Position 6 Health Integrated into the Belt and Road Initiative: The Health Silk Road 7 Conclusions References 15 Digital China: Governance, Power Politics, and the Social Game 1 Introduction 2 What’s at Stake in Technical Standards 3 “China Standards 2035” and the Digital Information Revolution 4 Norms and Global Power Structures 5 Setting the Norms of Cyber Sovereignty and Authoritarianism 6 Conclusion Bibliographic References 16 The New Face of Multilateralism: The Case of “Chinese” Forums 1 Introduction 2 Overview of Chinese Forums 3 Comparative Analysis of Chinese Forums 3.1 Political Configuration 3.2 Geographic Range 3.3 Membership Affiliation 3.4 Focus 3.5 Highest Operational Mechanism 3.6 Organizational Process 4 Role of “Chinese” Forums in China’s Foreign Policy 5 Conclusion Bibliographic References 17 Secular Stagnation and World Leadership: China’s Rising Path 1 Introduction 2 Theoretical and Conceptual Framework 3 Characterization and Conceptualization of Secular Stagnation 4 Consequences of Secular Stagnation in Global Power Structures 5 Conclusions Bibliographic References 18 Visuality and Infrastructure: The Case of the Belt and Road Initiative 1 Introduction 2 BRI and Enchantment of Infrastructure 3 Seeing the Infrastructure-Induced Changes Along the BRI 4 Visual Analysis: Some Methodological Notes 5 Visual Analysis Case 1: The Economist Representations of the BRI 5.1 Plot 1: China Gets Rich 5.2 Plot 2: Planetary Infrastructure 5.3 Plot 3: Perpendicular Mutuality and Complexity of Transactions 5.4 Plot 4: Prosperity for All Brought by China 5.5 Plot 5: BRI as Digital Control Room 6 Visual Analysis Case 2: Infrastructure and Connectivity Discourse in Documentaries 7 Conclusion Bibliographic References 19 The Belt and Road Initiative: Can It Signalize a New Pendulum Movement? 1 Introduction 2 Game Changer and Power Dynamics 3 Methodology 4 Empirical Evidence: Lofty Ambitions 4.1 China vs. US: Trends and Patterns 4.2 China and the BRI Strategy 4.3 Testing the Speed of Convergence for the BRI Countries 4.4 Networks and Market Shares 5 Conclusion 6 Annex 1: List of BRIC Countries (2021) 7 Annex 2: Silk road economic belt: development corridors 8 Annex 3: BRI and related projects Bibliographic References Part II The Mutual Perceptions and the Changing Contours of Globalisation 20 The EU–China Geo-Economic Equilibrium in a World of Uncertainty 1 Introduction 2 Conceptualizing European Strategic Autonomy and Its Instruments 2.1 The Concept and Scope of Strategic Autonomy 2.2 Trade Dependence and Global Value Chains After COVID 2.3 Trade Routes and Strategic Autonomy: The Belt and Road Initiative and Beyond 2.4 Technological and Industrial Autonomy 3 The EU–China Relation in the Wider International Context: Areas of Cooperation and Conflict 3.1 China in the Eyes of the EU: The Awakening 3.2 Room for Autonomy and Room for Cooperation 4 The Comprehensive Agreement on Investment: A Step in the Right Direction? 5 Conclusion Bibliographic References 21 A Shifting Current: Europe’s Changing Approaches vis-à-vis China, the Belt and Road Initiative, and the COVID-19 Pandemic 1 Introduction 2 What Is the Belt and Road Initiative? 3 Europe’s Uneven Initial Response to the BRI 4 An Increasingly Sceptical Europe Facing a Changing China and BRI 4.1 The Increased Clarity of BRI Objectives and Elements 4.2 The General Trajectory of EU–China Relations 4.3 The Transatlantic Dimension 5 The COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Impact 5.1 The Turn of the Tide 6 Conclusion: A Tense Equilibrium Bibliographic References 22 China in Central and Eastern Europe: New Opportunities for Small States 1 Introduction 2 Forming Unrealistic Expectations 3 Sluggish Economic Cooperation 4 Recommitment to Western Allies Versus Strategic Autonomy 5 Conclusion Bibliographic References 23 China and the European Union: Inside the Economic Dynamics of a Challenging Relationship 1 Introduction 2 China as a Global Economic and Tourism Superpower 2.1 China’s Ascending Trajectory in the World 2.2 China’s Reshaping Global Tourism Industry 2.3 China Powerful Growth Momentum—Industry, Trade and Investment 3 The Belt and Road Initiative in the Context of the European Union 4 Conclusion Bibliographic References 24 A Review of China’s Contribution to the Sustainable Development of the European Tourism Industry: A Case Study of Economic Effects and Sustainability Issues in Albania 1 Introduction 2 Literature Review 3 Methodology 4 Data and Case Study Research 4.1 The Tourism Potential Demand in the Chinese Outbound Market 5 Discussion 6 How Europe Will Cope with the Massive Inflows of Chinese Tourist 6.1 Chinese Outbound Tourism in Europe 6.2 Chinese Outbound Tourism in Albania 6.3 Assessment for Target Segment Identification 6.4 The Multiplier Effect 7 Conclusions and Recommendations Bibliographic References 25 A Greater Eurasian Partnership? Xi and Putin’s Road to Integrate and Lead 1 Introduction 1.1 The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) 1.2 The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) 1.3 Measuring the Strategic and Operational Assets 2 Conclusion Bibliographic References 26 Health, Road, and Russia: Perspectives on Russian Involvement with China’s Health Silk Road 1 Introduction 2 Existing Research: Literature Review 3 HSR and Russia: Tracing the Origins 4 Health Silk Road—Nowhere Near Russian Sights 5 Russia and Health Silk Road: Perspectives and Conclusions Bibliographic References 27 India’s Challenge to the BRI: Shaping the Global Normative Consensus 1 Introduction 2 BRI and the Sino-Indian Relationship: An Arena of Conflicting Interests? 3 The Widening Normative Gap 4 Appraising New Delhi’s Policy Playbook for the BRI 5 Conclusion Bibliographic References 28 China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC): India’s Conundrum and Policy Options 1 Introduction 2 CPEC: A Win–Win Situation and All-Round Cooperation? 2.1 Pakistan's Advantages and Benefits 2.2 China’s Advantages and Benefits 2.3 Undermining India’s Interest? 3 CPEC: The Challenges 3.1 Security Concerns 3.2 Opposition Within Pakistan 3.3 Increasing External Debts 3.4 Other Concerns 4 India's BRI Conundrum 4.1 Security Concerns 4.2 BRI—Is It a Debt Trap? 4.3 Other Concerns 5 India’s Response 5.1 Expressed Its Concerns 5.2 Countering MSR/BRI 6 Conclusion Bibliographic References 29 China in Latin America: To BRI or not to BRI 1 Introduction 2 Chinese Economic Expansion in Latin America 3 Chinese Diplomacy and Political-Institutional Relations 4 Case Studies 4.1 Brazil 4.2 Chile 4.3 Ecuador 4.4 Panama 5 Conclusion Bibliographic References 30 Why America Opposes the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) 1 Introduction 2 Features of BRI Challenging America 2.1 Legitimating China’s Growth Model, Huawei Expansion 2.2 BRI and Corruption 2.3 BRI Supports Authoritarian Rule 2.4 BRI Fosters Unsustainable Lending, Dependency, Leverage, and Control 3 Conclusion Bibliographic References 31 The Belt and Road Initiative’s Security Challenges: The Chinese Globalization Project and Sino-American Rivalry 1 Introduction 2 The New Silk Road as a Chinese Globalization Project 3 Implementation in the Greater Eurasian Region and Its Contradictions 4 Security Challenges of the New Silk Road and the New Cold War 5 Conclusion Bibliographic References 32 Sino-Iranian Cooperation in Artificial Intelligence: A Potential Countering Against the US Hegemony 1 Introduction 2 Sino-Persian Relations: From Anti-US Ideology to Anti-US Technology 3 The Role of AI in Military Power 4 Chinese AI Strategy and Global Political Implications 5 Artificial Intelligence and Iran’s Defence and Security Policies 6 Opposing the US by Adopting Artificial Intelligence Technology 7 Conclusion References Part III The Potential of the BRI as a Cross-Border Initiative 33 China and the Wave of Globalization Focusing on the Middle East 1 Introduction 2 China in Relation to the Broader Middle East 3 Discussion 4 Conclusion Bibliographic References 34 China–Iran’s 25-Year Deal: The Implication for the Belt and Road Initiative and Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) 1 Introduction 2 China–Iran Relations (A Historical Background) 3 Iran–China 25-Years Agreement: Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) 4 Iran–China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: Implications for BRI and Silk Road 5 Iran–China’s Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as an Alternative for JCPOA 6 Conclusion Bibliographic References 35 China’s New Maritime Silk Road Cooperation: Why Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines Are Clings in Disagreement? 1 Introduction 2 The Fragility of the Recent Strategic Development in Malaysia–China 3 Indonesia–China: Creating Wealth on a Bumpy Road 4 The Multifaceted Relationship of the Philippines and China in the BRI 5 South China Sea as a Sea of Friendship: Policy Implications 6 Conclusion Bibliographic References 36 The Belt and Road Initiative and the Uneven Triangle of Latvia, Belarus, and China 1 Introduction 2 Literature Review 3 Methodology 4 Latvia’s Perception and Engagement with China and Belarus in Retrospective 5 Latvia’s Engagement with China and Belarus in Trade and Investment 6 Latvia’s Engagement with China and Belarus in Logistics 7 Conclusion Bibliographic References 37 The Impact of Belt and Road Initiative on Asian Economies Along the Route 1 Introduction 1.1 Belt and Road Initiative: China and Asia in Partnership 2 Review of Literature 3 Methodology and Data 3.1 Bilateral Trade 3.2 Financial Development 3.3 Political Stability 3.4 Corruption 3.5 Infrastructure 3.6 Geographic Distance 3.7 Belt and Road Initiative 4 Econometric Analysis and Results 5 Conclusion Bibliographic References 38 The Belt and Road in the Kyrgyz Republic: Mapping Economic Risks and Risk Perceptions 1 Introduction 2 The Kyrgyz Context 2.1 A Fragile Economic Model 2.2 Frequent Political Unrest Destabilizes the Investment Scene 2.3 An Emerging Challenge: COVID-19 3 The Belt and Road in Kyrgyzstan 3.1 Kyrgyzstan-China Relations 3.2 The Belt and Road in Kyrgyzstan 4 Economic Risks Deriving from the BRI 4.1 Reliance on China as an Economic Partner 4.2 Debt Sustainability 4.3 Corruption 4.4 Limited Spillovers 5 Conclusion Bibliographic References 39 Belt and Road Initiative’s Economic Impact on Central Asia. The Cases of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan 1 Introduction 2 What Is the Belt and Road Initiative? 3 The Economic Cooperation of China and Central Asian States Within the BRI 4 Impacts on the Economies of the Central Asian States 5 Conclusion Bibliographic References 40 How Does BRI Affect the Degree of Globalization in Southeast Asia? 1 Introduction 2 BRI in Southeast Asia 3 BRI and Globalization in the Ten ASEAN States 4 Chinese Investment and Trade 5 Chinese Investments and FDI 6 Chinese Investment and International Cooperation 7 Understanding the Relationship Between Chinese Investment and the Different Patterns of Globalization in the ASEAN Countries 8 Conclusion Bibliographic References 41 Vietnam’s Attitude Towards China’s Belt and Road Initiative Amid Globalization 1 Introduction 2 The Small State’s Choice and Response to Other States Amid Globalization 2.1 The Small State’s External Choice from Diverse Perspectives 2.2 The Expectations and Responses of a Small State from the Role Theory Approach 3 An Overview of Vietnam–China Relations 4 Vietnam’s Perceptions of China’s Role in the Belt and Road Initiative 4.1 An Overview of China’s Belt and Road Initiative 4.2 The Opportunities and Challenges Associated with the BRI for Vietnam 4.3 The Opportunities 4.4 The Challenges 5 Vietnam’s Connection with China’s Belt and Road Initiative 6 Conclusion Bibliographic References 42 The South Atlantic in China’s Global Policy: Why It Matters? 1 Introduction 2 The South Atlantic: A Changing Strategic Landscape 3 The Chinese Going Out Policy in the South Atlantic: An Assessment 4 China as an Emerging South Atlantic Naval Power: Where Now, What’s Next? 5 Brazil’s vis-à-vis Chinese Emergence in South Atlantic 6 Conclusion Bibliographic References 43 Belt and Road Initiative: Impact and Implications for Africa–China Relations 1 Introduction 2 Africa’s Place in the Belt and Road Initiative 3 Restructuring of Chinese Interests in Africa 4 Impact and Implications for Africa–China Relations 5 Conclusion Bibliographic References 44 The Unequal Modalities of China’s Intervention in Africa 1 Introduction 2 Methodology 3 First Part: China-Africa: The Long Story Today 3.1 The First Sino-African Era (1949–1971) 3.2 The Second Sino-African Era (1972–1993) 3.3 The Third Sino-African Era (1994–2013) 4 Second Part: China-Africa: Inequalities, Dependence, and Extroversion 4.1 The Fourth Sino-African Era and the Unequal Economic Relationship 4.2 Polarization, Concentration and Inequalities: The Consequences of NSR in Africa 5 Conclusion Bibliographic References 45 Africa’s Thirst for Infrastructure: Contemporary Phenomenon That Makes China the Trading Partner 1 Introduction 2 China-Africa Cooperation: An Overview 3 Relationship Between Chinese Infrastructure and Access to African Raw Materials 4 China-Africa Trade Exchange Mechanism 5 Instruments of Cooperation Between China and Africa 6 Conclusion Bibliographic References 46 Why Is China Going Polar? Understanding Engagement and Implications for the Arctic and Antarctica 1 Introduction 2 China in the Poles: Motivations and Rationale for Growing Engagement 3 China’s Move from a Bystander to a “Near-Arctic” State 4 China in Antarctica: Preparing the “Nest”? 5 Conclusion Bibliographic References Index