An Assessment of China’s Power Expansion in Asia Through the Lens of the Belt and Road Initiative

Abstract

In the age of globalization, interdependence and trade cooperation between nations is at an all-time peak. The Belt and Road Initiative by China is one of the most significant projects undertaken by a nation toward infrastructural development in the world and sees growth in about 70 countries and organizations. While the project's scope strictly emphasizes strategic infrastructural development for global purposes, separating China's foreign policy and diplomatic ambitions from this project is challenging. In the presented report, the case of the Belt and Road Initiative has been examined comprehensively, with a high degree of attention on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects for the impact of China’s rise in Asia and implications for the geopolitical balance of the region. Using a comprehensive literature survey, this study finds that while China indeed achieves the objective of economic growth through the project, it is also a cornerstone of Chinese foreign policy in the region. This threatens the security and sovereignty of other nearby nations already facing adversarial relations with China, including Tibet, Taiwan, and India. China’s oppression and disregard for their sovereignty will likely increase for these nations as the Chinese government gets more diplomatic leverage in its international relations through the Belt and Road Initiative. 

 Keywords: Asia, Belt and Road Initiative, BRI and CPEC, China foreign policy, Chinese diplomacy, superpower.