Globalization, Colonialism and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI): A Review of Literature

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is an umbrella term for China’s plans to re-establish both the overland Silk Route Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Route. It has gained the support of over 100 countries and international organizations and until now, more than 40 of them have signed cooperation agreements with China. Although BRI is an open, diversified and win-win project poised to bring huge opportunities for the development of China and many other countries, to a certain level, it has been seen by some economists, scholars, political and academic pundits as a new form of colonialism. This paper intends to summarize and integrate the literature that provides arguments for and against China’s initiative to lead economic development, notably infrastructure investments, involving countries located along the route of her traditional land and maritime silk trade. By reviewing literature which links China’s leadership initiative from the perspective of globalization, global business competition and colonialism, we hope to furnish information and an analytical basis which are useful to support a better understanding and policy making for BRI partners. Fundamentally, a win-win situation is seen to be vital in such partnership.