WHAT FACTORS ARE BEHIND SOME STATES SUPPORTING CHINA’S BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE AND OTHER STATES PUSHING BACK AGAINST IT?
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Authors
Erdenebileg, Temuulen
Subjects
China
Belt and Road Initiative
Maritime Silk Road
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor
Quadrilateral Security Dialogue
Belt and Road Initiative
Maritime Silk Road
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor
Quadrilateral Security Dialogue
Advisors
Meyskens, Covell F.
Date of Issue
2019-12
Date
Dec-19
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is the biggest infrastructure project in the world today. This thesis examines what factors are behind some states being supportive of the BRI and other states pushing back against it. This thesis explored three case studies—Pakistan, Australia, and Mongolia. In each case, the BRI’s economic, cultural, geopolitical, and security implications were investigated. This thesis reveals that countries that gain economic benefits from BRI are mostly supportive of it, though they have misgivings in the geopolitical and security realms. On the other hand, countries, such as Mongolia and Australia, that are prioritizing geopolitical calculations have a tendency to keep strategic ambiguity. Mongolia and Pakistan are especially concerned about the BRI bringing them long-term financial burdens. There are worries about the BRI harming the geopolitical balance and the countries’ relationships with other regional powers. Cultural aspects such Sinophobia among the Mongolian and Australian society are playing a negative role. Overall, this thesis finds that countries respond to China’s BRI based on their own security, economic, cultural, and geopolitical interests.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
National Security Affairs (NSA)
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funding
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
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