Analysis and Application of Labor Standard in Countries along the"Belt and Road Initiative"

Abstract

As the initiator and host of the "Belt and Road Initiative" Economic Zone, China is in-creasingly aware of the importance of international labor standards in today's increasingly developed international trade. In order to promote economic and trade cooperation among countries along the "Belt and Road Initiative", this paper summarizes the current situation and dilemmas of the application of existing international labor standards including the soft-law barriers and institutional dilemmas of existing international labor standards. This paper also points out that some countries take advantage of the complexity and political nature of labor standards to impose trade sanctions and tariffs on developing countries and other blue trade barriers. In addition, the paper also identifies feasible ways to improve in-ternational labor standards and apply them to the "Belt and Road Initiative" Silk Economic Belt. China should develop international labor standards with the characteristics of the "Belt and Road Initiative" economy. China should establish a preventive mechanism for blue trade barriers, align the "Belt and Road Initiative" rights protection system with in-ternational standards. China should also refine the rules for the use of social provisions under the "Belt and Road Initiative" coordination mechanism, improve trade cooperation with countries along the "Belt and Road Initiative". Finally, China should improve nation-al labor standards, and seek better welfare for laborers along the "Belt and Road Initia-tive".