21st Century Maritime Silk Road Research Articles

Charting sustainable logistics on the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road: a DEA-based approach enhanced by risk considerations through prospect theory

This study investigates the sustainable logistics potential of countries along the Maritime Silk Road (MSR), an essential element of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), against a backdrop of increasing global emphasis on sustainability and efficient trade practices. Addressing the gap in existing literature, it explores how strategic positioning influences countries’ logistics capabilities, integrating risk considerations and behavioral decision-making aspects into the assessment. Through a specialized Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model that incorporates Prospect Theory, this research provides a nuanced evaluation of economic performance, energy efficiency, infrastructure robustness, governance quality, and innovation capabilities. The analysis reveals significant findings, such as Vietnam’s outstanding economic efficiency, Indonesia’s notable achievements in sustainability and governance, and Malaysia’s balanced efficiency, which collectively enhance the MSR’s logistics framework. Additionally, India, Greece, Djibouti, and Kenya emerge as vital partners due to their diverse strengths. The introduction of a risk-aware DEA model, enriched with behavioral factors, marks a significant advancement in logistics assessment methodologies, offering a more comprehensive understanding of sustainable logistics practices along the MSR. The implications of this study are profound, providing valuable insights for policymakers, investors, and business leaders. It guides strategic decision-making, promoting sustainability in MSR trade activities while aligning with global eco-conscious practices and economic growth within the context of environmental stewardship and sustainable development. However, the research acknowledges limitations related to the indirect measurement of decision-makers’ psychological behavioral coefficients and the focus on efficiency metrics without extensive exploration of cultural, political, or legal factors. This work sets a new precedent in sustainable logistics research, encouraging future studies to incorporate direct behavioral data and qualitative factors for a more enriched evaluation. Its innovative approach not only contributes to the academic discourse on sustainable logistics but also offers practical tools for enhancing the MSR’s trade efficiency and sustainability.

Evolution of China’s Coastal Economy since the Belt and Road Initiative Based on Nighttime Light Imagery

The joint construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road proposed by China has brought major development opportunities for the development of countries and regions along the routes. Traditional GDP statistics based on administrative units cannot describe the spatial differences of GDP within administrative units, which has certain limitations in exploring regional economic development analysis and supporting economic development decision making. Based on NPP-VIIRS luminous remote sensing data, land use data, and statistical yearbook data, this paper analyzes the spatial–temporal evolution pattern of economic level in China’s coastal economic belt from 2012 to 2021 using the Moran index and standard deviation ellipse. An unbalanced distribution of economic development are found along China coastal area and the economic gravity center moved southwest since the Belt and Road Initiative. The results show thatthe Yangtze River Delta was extremely active , and the economic growth of the south was better than that of the north. The grided GDP map presents more details of regional economic development, and provides an opportunity for further mechanisms exploration of the development process.

A Qualitative Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Maritime Silk Road in Europe: Who Benefits from the Initiative and Who Does Not

Abstract: China has traditionally been regarded as a continental power. However, the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (MSR), launched in 2013, shapes China's intention to become a global maritime power. The initiative is the most significant contribution to increasing global maritime connectivity in recent decades. The volume and impact of Chinese investments in Europe's seaports are remarkable. This article proposes a fundamental framework to assess who benefits from the initiative. Since quantitative cost-benefit analyses (CBA) hardly apply to multifaceted and partially unquantifiable phenomena, we suggest assessing the MSR by means of a comprehensive qualitative CBA. We opted for a qualitative CBA due to ontological and epistemological reasons: on the one hand, the complex and multilayered nature of the problem is difficult to monetize, and, on the other hand, our argument is not final, as it attempts to assess a given policy before its implementation is sufficiently mature. In this vein, we apply the problem-solving methodology 'analytic hierarchy process'. While the media have disproportionately stressed the negative effects of the MSR, we conclude under this framework that (i) for China, MSR benefits largely outweigh associated costs; (ii) for participating countries, MSR benefits outweigh the associated costs only after cost-mitigating measures are incorporated; and (iii) for non-participating countries, MSR costs outweigh associated benefits.

Does the BRI contribute to poverty reduction in countries along the Belt and Road? A DID-based empirical test

Most countries along the Belt and Road are developing countries that face pronounced challenges due to poverty. The Chinese government has committed to implementing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to establish a ‘Road to Poverty Reduction’. This study explores the impact of the BRI on poverty reduction in participating countries as well as the mechanisms underlying this impact. This research is of great significance to the continuing implementation of the BRI and global poverty governance. Based on a panel dataset extending from 2005 to 2019 and encompassing 151 countries, this article uses the difference-in-differences method to examine the Initiative’s impact and conducts heterogeneity analysis to explore the mechanism underlying this impact in further detail. This approach results in four findings. First, joining the BRI can significantly reduce poverty rates in these countries. Second, the policy effect exhibits a time lag. In the long term, the poverty reduction effect becomes more significant. Third, the BRI can significantly reduce poverty in countries neighbouring China and in lower-middle-income countries. The Land Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road distinctly reduce poverty. Fourth, the BRI contributes to poverty reduction in BRI countries by facilitating trade, enhancing financial and credit systems, increasing China’s greenfield investment, and establishing digital infrastructure. Additionally, the BRI promotes poverty reduction through increased bilateral visits and technical cooperation, whereas knowledge sharing remains an area in need of further development. Through theoretical analysis and empirical tests, this article evaluates the policy effect of the BRI on poverty alleviation, tests the underlying mechanism, and responds to some concerns expressed by the international community. The findings of this article provide a feasible direction for improving the ability of the BRI to reduce poverty more effectively in the future and thus achieve the United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Noaiwia

This article focuses on the linguistic landscape of Noaiwia, one of thirteen villages located on Nguna Island off the north coast of Efate, Vanuatu. It contributes to the understanding of the linguistic landscape of a small village in a previously undocumented rural setting in the understudied islands of Southeast Asia and Oceania. Using a corpus of photographs and detailed qualitative interpretation of the visual and verbal signs found around the village, the analysis first highlights the near absence of the island’s indigenous language in the public space. An analysis of the signage found at the school further suggests the exclusive presence and high status of the English language. A contrastive analysis also shows a different linguistic landscape from the one found in Vanuatu’s capital city Port Vila. Finally, the article looks at the presence of the Chinese language on a water tank, a reflection of China’s 21st Century Maritime Silk Road programme in the Pacific. The results are discussed in relation to the status of indigenous languages and Bislama, the islands’ lingua franca, language policy in education in Vanuatu, and language ideology in a globalised world.

Commonalities and Differences of the Language Policy in Russian-speaking Countries along “The Belt and Road”

"Bel and Road Initiative"， which is also known as the “Silk Road Economic Belt” or the "21st Century Maritime Silk Road", is a new model of national cooperation advocated by China and is considered to be the economic cooperation zone with the widest coverage in the world today. The Russian-speaking countries along "Belt and Road Initiative" refer to the countries where "Russian" is recognized by the constitution as the national language, official language, interracial common language, or exists in the form of mother tongue, minority language, etc., thus forming a "language – state – group" with Russian as its link. Due to limited length, this paper mainly studies the "three East Slavic Countries", namely Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and the "Five Central Asian Countries", namely Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Russian-speaking countries along the "Belt and Road" have complicated historical, ethnic, political, religious, linguistic and other links. This also leads to the complexity of language governance in various countries under the background of global governance and shows commonalities and differences in the basic direction of language policy in various countries. The commonalities are mainly manifested in the hierarchy of forms of language policy, the stages in history, the politics of function and the multiplicity of objectives. The differences are mainly manifested in the language abilities of countries, the degree of national language policy and the guidance of dealing with the relationship with Russian on the premise of language policy. The commonalities and differences can help us fully understand the function of language in boosting economic exchanges, the positive and negative energy contained in language, the relationship between language and national security, and the relationship between language and cultural discourse power in the context of the "Belt and Road Initiative".The extraction of the commonalities and differences of language policy in Russian-speaking countries along the "Belt and Road "is conducive to promoting the transformation of language research from a Chinese perspective to a global perspective. The cooperation in the era of globalization is always multiple and non-unitary. In the context of the "Belt and Road Initiative", under the cooperation framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and in the process of the "Belt and Road Alliance", that is, the alliance of "Belt and Road" and the "Eurasian Economic Union", these Russian-speaking countries are not only important nodes along the "Belt and Road", but also important partners of China’s cooperation and exchanges in different frameworks of exchanges.The current prominent problems of Russian-speaking countries along the "Belt and Road" include the status of the national language and interracial common languages within the country, as well as the issues of language independence, cultural independence, and language sovereignty between countries. All these issues have essentially surpassed the basic function of language itself. In the vision of a community of shared future for mankind, the highest level of communication between sovereign countries is mutual communication and mutual learning based on mutual respect for culture. Only when we have a clear understanding of the rule of law in the countries along “the Belt and Road”, including their language policies, language plannings and language strategies, can the implementation of the "Belt and Road Initiative" be better and comprehensively supported.

Geopolitical luck or crisis?:Communicating China’s Built and Road Initiative amidst South China Sea Dispute

As the maritime dispute in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) continues, this paper speculates on the possible outcomes of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's sustained commitment to have stronger trade ties with China by participating in the Built and Road Initiative (BRI). During Chinese President Xi Jinping's official visit to the United States last year, 29 bilateral agreements were inked. When it comes to military, security, law enforcement, maritime cooperation, transnational crime, and other issues, China, Asia's biggest economy, has both agreements and worries. Even if mistrust in Asia's economic superpower is growing due to debt trap concerns and a maritime dispute, there is still hope for achieving the American goal of financial security because of the government's cooperative influence on China's power aspirations. Although estimates on total investments differ, Chatzky and McBride (2019) cite Morgan Stanley as saying China's entire costs throughout the duration of the Built and Road Initiative (BRI) might reach $1.2-1.3 trillion by 2027.
 In conclusion, the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations need to have room for conversation and cooperation in order to construct shared progress. According to Gou and Yang (2017), it is clear that all Asian nations want to maintain cordial ties with China. China's US$40 billion funding schemes, via the 21st century Maritime Silk Road, may accelerate regional infrastructure development and integration, and there are strong cultural and people-to-people links. The economy and increasing middle class provide significant prospects.

Spatio-Temporal Changes in Ecosystem Quality across the Belt and Road Region.

The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative (BRI) proposed in 2013 by China has greatly accelerated the social and economic development of the countries along the Belt and Road (B&R) region. However, the international community has questioned its impact on the ecological environment and a comprehensive assessment of ecosystem quality changes is lacking. Therefore, this study proposes an objective and automatic method to assess ecosystem quality and analyzes the spatiotemporal changes in the B&R region. First, an ecosystem quality index (EQI) is established by integrating the vegetation status derived from three remote sensing ecological parameters including the leaf area index, fractional vegetation cover and gross primary productivity. Then, the EQI values are automatically categorized into five ecosystem quality levels including excellent, good, moderate, low and poor to illustrate their spatiotemporal changes from the years 2016 to 2020. The results indicate that the spatial distributions of the EQIs across the B&R region exhibited similar patterns in the years 2016 and 2020. The regions with excellent levels accounted for the lowest proportion of less than 12%, while regions with moderate, low and poor levels accounted for more than 68% of the study area. Moreover, based on the EQI pattern analysis between the years 2016 and 2020, the regions with no significant EQI change accounted for up to 99.33% and approximately 0.45% experienced a significantly decreased EQI. Therefore, this study indicates that the ecosystem quality of the B&R region was relatively poor and experienced no significant change in the five years after the implementation of the "Vision and Action to Promote the Joint Construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road". This study can provide useful information for decision support on the future ecological environment management and sustainable development of the B&R region.

China’s Belt and Road Initiative: An Analysis

Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a signature foreign policy initiative by China’s President Xi Jinping, is the largest global infrastructure undertaking, surpassing the Marshall Plan. Chinese banks and companies have invested billions in funding and building infrastructure in numerous countries. Two significant initiatives are related to and referred to the BRI. One is the Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB) and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road (MSR). However, with the commencement, the initiative has attracted enormous global attention. Background information about SREB and the MSR and its implementation have been discussed in this article. This article highlights China’s strategic considerations for the BRI and its significance to the country. This article additionally concentrates on the progress of BRI and how the West and China’s neighbours view it and offers insight into the recently unfolding criticisms. Keywords Belt and Road Initiative, Silk Road Economic Belt, Maritime Silk Road, Xi Jinping

Leverage Bayesian Network and Fault Tree Method on Risk Assessment of LNG Maritime Transport Shipping Routes: Application to the China–Australia Route

The China–Australia Route, which serves as the southern economic corridor of the ‘21st Century Maritime Silk Road’, bears great importance in safeguarding maritime transportation operations. This route plays a crucial role in ensuring the security and efficiency of such activities. To pre-assess the risks of this route, this paper presents a two-stage analytical framework that combines fault tree analysis and Bayesian network for evaluating the occurrence likelihood of risk of transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) on the China–Australia Route. In the first stage, our study involved the identification of 22 risk influencing factors drawn from a comprehensive review of pertinent literature and an in-depth analysis of accident reports. These identified factors were then utilized as basic events to construct a fault tree. Later, we applied an expert comprehensive evaluation method and fuzzy set theory, and by introducing voting mechanism into expert opinions, the prior probability of basic events was calculated. In the second stage, a fault tree was transformed into a Bayesian network, which overcame the deficiency that the structure and conditional probability table of the Bayesian network find difficult to determine. Consequently, the employment of the Bayesian network architecture was applied to forecast the likelihood of LNG maritime transport along the China–Australia shipping pathway. The probability importance and critical importance of each basic event was calculated through an importance analysis. The development of a risk matrix was achieved by considering the two primary dimensions of frequency and impact, which were subsequently utilized to categorize all relevant risk factors into high, moderate, or low risk categories. This allowed for effective risk mitigation and prevention strategies to be implemented. Finally, assuming that the final risk occurs, we calculated the posterior probability of the basic event to diagnose the risk. The research findings indicate that the primary reasons for the risk of transporting LNG on the China–Australia Route are the impact of natural forces and epidemics, piracy and terrorist attacks, and the risk of LNG explosions. In the final section, we provide suggestions and risk control measures based on the research results to reduce the occurrence of risks.

Investment obstacles of main countries situated along the 21st century Maritime Silk Road – a perspective of risk assessment

ABSTRACT The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (MSR) is a development strategy initiated by the Chinese Government to respond to the changing global landscape. As this initiative progresses, growing number of enterprises are exploring investment opportunities overseas. Consequently, it has become increasingly important to address the investment obstacles faced by these enterprises. This paper assesses the investment environment of 22 countries along the MSR from three perspectives: the macroscopic perspective of country risk, the intermediate perspective of market environment risk, and the microscopic perspective of enterprise operational risk. Such a risk assessment is crucial in facilitating Chinese enterprises that seek to expand overseas. The research findings indicate that the investment risks in countries along the MSR are substantia, and enterprises should be cautious when investing. Drawing on the analysis, this paper presents macroscopic and microscopic control measures that both governments and enterprises can implement to alleviate investment barriers.

Correlation Analysis of Stock Markets in the Belt and Road Regions

As a regional cooperation framework, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) aims to spur economic development by investing in infrastructure and improving connectivity between the countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa located along the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Many studies have documented that BRI-related investment projects reduce trade costs, increase trade and investment flows, bring benefits to trading parties, and improve connectivity between countries along the Belt and Road. Financial integration is a critical aspect of intangible connectivity that is fundamental to and benefits from increased trade and investment flows between countries. This study examines the pairwise correlations between 39 stock markets in the Belt and Road regions from 2008 to 2018, focusing on the correlations between China and the other markets. We find that the correlation between two markets in the same region is greater than those in different regions. China has a higher correlation with markets in Southeast Asia and North and Central Asia than in other regions. The correlations fluctuate over time, but their relative rankings among market pairs remain stable. In the first half of 2015, there was an unusually low correlation between China and all other markets, most likely due to China’s stock market bubble. Our systematic examination of stock market correlations in the Belt and Road regions sheds new light on the temporal and cross-sectional dynamics in these understudied financial markets. The findings suggest significant potential for financial integration in the Belt and Road regions.

The Value of Chinese Calligraphy Artistic Symbols in the Packaging Design of Creative Products

Cultural and creative products play an important role in promoting social and economic development. China’s traditional art culture is not only indispensable in the development of its own cultural and creative products, but also an important source of inspiration and materials of international cultural and creative industries. Cultural and creative products are not only the exchange and common development of Chinese culture in other countries, but also further promotes the response to the policy of “The Silk Economic Belt and 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road” and “Building a Community with a Future for Humanity.” Chinese calligraphy are a huge part of Chinese art and culture. In this paper, the cultural and artistic value of Chinese characters on packaging design was studied through case study and visual analysis. The analysis is mainly based on the current situation, problems, and innovative exploration of various elements of Chinese calligraphy and artistic symbols in the packaging of creative products. Because of the design and development of the artistic symbols of Chinese characters, the significance of the research results not only display the unique cultural heritage of China, but also provide reference for cultural and artistic exchanges, innovative development, and integrated development of other countries.
 Keywords: Cultural and creative products; Chinese traditional culture and art; Chinese calligraphy art; Artistic symbols; packing design; Integrated development

Study on Population-Innovation Coordination and Spatial Layout Based on the Context of Aging

As a major area for the docking and integration of China's 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, the innovation-driven development of the Bay Area city cluster can provide support for the continuous enhancement of China's economic innovation and competitiveness. Population vitality is the prerequisite and foundation of the country's innovative development, but China is facing a very serious aging situation. The process of population aging in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has also become an important factor limiting its rapid development. This study intends to analyze the aging population data and urban innovation and other related indices of the Greater Bay Area urban agglomerations through OLS, entropy method and Moran index, and use ArcGIS to visualize the trends, laws and characteristics of urban development, so as to provide scientific and reasonable data reference and support for the upper-level decision of urban planning.

The BRI: A new development cooperation paradigm in the making? Unpacking China’s infrastructure cooperation along the Maritime Silk Road

This special issue aspires to contribute to the nascent literature on the developmental impact of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its implications for global development governance. It is our contention that the BRI offers a unique window for a better understanding of China’s dual role as a development agent and a development-norms shaper. This introductory essay attempts to systematize theoretical insights drawn from in-depth empirical research along key nodes of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (MSR), one key dimension of the BRI.This special issue provides valuable insights into BRI implementation on recipient countries by examining key infrastructure projects with the aim of uncovering the complexity of the variables determining BRI dynamics and outcomes. The contributions highlight the versatility and the fragmentation of the BRI as a cooperation platform, and the variegated nature of engagement patterns and outcomes on the ground. The findings of this collection of studies suggest that these variations are ultimately a function of the complex interaction between institutional contexts and agents from both sides (China and host countries), and that the quality and sustainability of such interplay has a significant bearing on developmental outcomes. Moreover, as with traditional donors, inconsistencies between the official rhetoric and the actual implementation dynamics and developmental outcomes may subsequently undermine China’s legitimacy as a development ‘norm-maker’ and cooperation partner. Overall, our findings question the exceptionalism of China’s development cooperation approach and hence the prospects for the emergence of an alternative and more effective development paradigm appear slim at this juncture.

Automatic Detection of Eddies Based on Remote Sensing SAR Images

A series of problems such as climate change, population explosion and energy crisis make people have to focus on the development of new energy. The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road region, with its large population and well-developed industry, is well suited for the development of new energy, especially offshore wind energy resources. Aiming at the regionalization problem of offshore wind power stations in this region, this paper uses the analysis data of ERA5, GSHHS data, combined with authoritative geography humanities data, combined with subjective and objective comprehensive weighting method, and establishes a comprehensive risk assessment system which is different from previous ones. The results show that wind energy resources, natural environment and geography humanities factors have a certain impact on the location of offshore wind power stations in the 21st century Maritime Silk Road region. Therefore, it is meaningful and necessary to add these indicators into the location index system of offshore wind power stations in the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road region.

Location of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Marine Wind Energy Site

A series of problems such as climate change, population explosion and energy crisis make people have to focus on the development of new energy. The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road region, with its large population and well-developed industry, is well suited for the development of new energy, especially offshore wind energy resources. Aiming at the regionalization problem of offshore wind power stations in this region, this paper uses the analysis data of authoritative geography humanities data and establishes a comprehensive risk assessment system. The results show that wind energy resources, natural environment and geography humanities factors have a certain influence on the location of offshore wind power stations in the region. Also, they shows that different indicators have different results. Therefore, it is meaningful and necessary to add these indicators into the location indicator system of offshore wind power stations in the region.

Resilience Evaluation of Ports along the Maritime Silk Road from the Perspective of Investment and Construction

Since the establishment of the “Belt and Road” initiative, the investment and construction of ports along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road have received extensive attention from the international community. The evaluation of ports is of great significance to investors’ investments and construction of ports around the world, so it is very necessary to establish a reasonable port evaluation system. At present, there are few studies on defining and evaluating port resilience, and the existing port evaluation index system has defects. Therefore, according to the similarity between cities and ports, this paper introduces the concept of “three-dimensional space” and the “system of systems” theory of cities and divides the resilience of ports along the Maritime Silk Road into three-dimensional spaces of “physical-society-information.” The CRITIC-entropy method and the TOPSIS method constructed a port resilience evaluation model along the Maritime Silk Road and quantitatively evaluated and analyzed the comprehensive resilience and subspatial resilience of 28 ports along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. The results show that the route network port degree, the annual throughput of the port container, and the number of fixed broadband subscribers per 100 people are the key indicators that affect the port’s physical space resilience, social space resilience, and information space resilience. Also, coordinated physical, social, and information spatial resilience development plays a catalytic role in improving overall resilience. Therefore, the investment of ports along the Maritime Silk Road should adopt corresponding and more targeted investment plans according to the actual resilience of each port. The research provides new ideas and directions for investors to invest in port construction and has certain practical guiding significance for the increase of investors’ income and the sound development of the national economy.

Chinese MSMEs internationalization in Latin American markets under the Belt and Road Initiative

Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) is an essential topic for business research and development policies. By reviewing previous literature and macroeconomic data, and following a deductive method, this study explains MSMEs' contribution to national development, that is, a positive effect in terms of employment, regional economies, technological innovation, andincome distribution. In addition, we focus on Chinese MSMEs' internationalization and competitive advantages in Latin American markets as a natural extension of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Additionally, we explain the essential role of the Belt and Road Initiative in Chinese companies’ internationalization, particularly in building a platform for MSMEs operations in Latin America and the Caribbean. After conclusions we suggest further research directions.

How does the initiative of 21st century maritime silk road incentive logistics development in China's coastal region?

Since the initiative of 21st century Maritime Silk Road has been put forward, more and more countries and regions have participated. As an economically developed coastal provinces in China, parts of them have got the remarkable achievements. This study mainly investigates the situation of logistics development in the coastal provinces before and after the initiative, also discuss the changes of its position in the logistics network. Through the turnovers from 2000 to 2020, we can calculate the value impacting logistics development, then build the complex network among 31 provinces, cities and autonomous zones with cosine similarity. On this basis, we use the community division to show the logistics development in coastal provinces. Overall, the initiative obviously promotes the logistics development in the coastal provinces, yet the development degree is also different.