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

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.