IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/qld/uq2004/635.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Remaking China’s Global Image with the Belt and Road Initiative: Is the Jury Out?

Author

Listed:
  • Jianhong Qi

    (School of Economics, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, China)

  • Kam Ki Tang

    (School of Economics, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia)

  • Da Yin

    (School of Economics, Renmin University of China, Beijing,100872, China)

  • Yong Zhao

    (Institute of China’s Economic Reform and Development, Renmin University of China, Beijing,100872, China)

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate how foreign economic policy may affect a country’s global image or soft power. Our empirical work focuses on China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), one of the most ambitious international economic policies in modern times, that covers more than 70 countries across the globe. We find evidence that international opinions on China are diverse but not polarized. We also find that the BRI has curried favor for China in the related countries. On average, the BRI increases net public approval rating of the Chinese leadership in these countries by more than 15 percentage points. Interestingly, the BRI arouses approving foreign opinions more than quietens disapproving voices. Finally, countries that have stronger trade, foreign direct investment or political ties with China do not necessarily respond to the BRI more favorably, while those contracting more infrastructure projects with Chinese firms do.

Suggested Citation

  • Jianhong Qi & Kam Ki Tang & Da Yin & Yong Zhao, 2020. "Remaking China’s Global Image with the Belt and Road Initiative: Is the Jury Out?," Discussion Papers Series 635, School of Economics, University of Queensland, Australia.
    • Handle: RePEc:qld:uq2004:635
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://economics.uq.edu.au/files/39716/635.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nye, Joseph S., 2008. "Public Diplomacy and Soft Power," Scholarly Articles 11738397, Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
    2. Alicia García-Herrero & Jianwei Xu, 2019. "Countries’ perceptions of China’s Belt and Road Initiative- A big data analysis," Bruegel Working Papers 29318, Bruegel.
    3. Thilo Bodenstein & Achim Kemmerling, 2017. "The European Union as a Collective Actor: Aid and Trade in African Public Opinion," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 35(4), pages 567-586, July.
    4. Angus Deaton & Arthur A. Stone, 2013. "Two Happiness Puzzles," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(3), pages 591-597, May.
      • Arthur A. Stone & Angus Deaton, 2013. "Two happiness puzzles," Working Papers 2013-3, Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Health and Wellbeing..
    5. Cevat G. Aksoy & Sergei Guriev & Daniel S. Treisman, 2018. "Globalization, Government Popularity, and the Great Skill Divide," NBER Working Papers 25062, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Du, Julan & Zhang, Yifei, 2018. "Does One Belt One Road initiative promote Chinese overseas direct investment?," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 189-205.
    7. Rose, Andrew, 2018. "Agent Orange: Trump, Soft Power, and Exports," CEPR Discussion Papers 13139, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    8. Wenjie Chen & David Dollar & Heiwai Tang, 2018. "Why Is China Investing in Africa? Evidence from the Firm Level," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 32(3), pages 610-632.
    9. Chen-Yu Li & An-Chi Lai & Zhan-Ao Wang & Yi-Chung Hsu, 2019. "The preliminary effectiveness of bilateral trade in China’s belt and road initiatives: a structural break approach," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(35), pages 3890-3905, July.
    10. Chen, Maggie Xiaoyang & Lin, Chuanhao, 2020. "Geographic connectivity and cross-border investment: The Belts, Roads and Skies," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    11. James E. Anderson & Eric van Wincoop, 2003. "Gravity with Gravitas: A Solution to the Border Puzzle," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 93(1), pages 170-192, March.
    12. Haiou Mao & Guanchun Liu & Chengsi Zhang & Rao Muhammad Atif, 2019. "Does Belt and Road Initiative Hurt Node Countries? A Study from Export Perspective," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(7), pages 1472-1485, May.
    13. Guriev, Sergei & Melnikov, Nikita, 2018. "Happiness convergence in transition countries," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(3), pages 683-707.
    14. Gene Amromin & Steven A. Sharpe, 2014. "From the Horse's Mouth: Economic Conditions and Investor Expectations of Risk and Return," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 60(4), pages 845-866, April.
    15. Huang, Qingyang & Liu, Chang & Zhou, Li-An, 2020. "Farewell to the God of Plague: Estimating the effects of China's Universal Salt Iodization on educational outcomes," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 20-36.
    16. Bastos, Paulo, 2020. "Exposure of belt and road economies to China trade shocks," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    17. Zhiming Cheng & Russell Smyth, 2016. "Why Give it Away When You Need it Yourself? Understanding Public Support for Foreign Aid in China," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(1), pages 53-71, January.
    18. Ravi Pappu & Pascale G Quester & Ray W Cooksey, 2007. "Country image and consumer-based brand equity: relationships and implications for international marketing," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 38(5), pages 726-745, September.
    19. Daniel M. Shapiro & Carlos Vecino & Jing Li, 2018. "Exploring China’s state-led FDI model: Evidence from the extractive sectors in Latin America," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 35(1), pages 11-37, March.
    20. Tomz, Michael, 2007. "Domestic Audience Costs in International Relations: An Experimental Approach," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 61(4), pages 821-840, October.
    21. Martin S Roth & Jean B Romeo, 1992. "Matching Product Category and Country Image Perceptions: A Framework for Managing Country-of-Origin Effects," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 23(3), pages 477-497, September.
    22. Andrew K. Rose, 2016. "Like Me, Buy Me: The Effect of Soft Power on Exports," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(2), pages 216-232, July.
    23. Xiaoyang Chen,Maggie & Lin,Chuanhao, 2018. "Foreign Investment across the Belt and Road : Patterns, Determinants, and Effects," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8607, The World Bank.
    24. Tristan Kohl, 2019. "The Belt and Road Initiative’s effect on supply-chain trade: evidence from structural gravity equations," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 12(1), pages 77-104.
    25. Baniya, Suprabha & Rocha, Nadia & Ruta, Michele, 2020. "Trade effects of the New Silk Road: A gravity analysis," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    26. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/4srj73kg79978qkvocpskj1tvb is not listed on IDEAS
    27. Andrew K. Rose, 2019. "Soft power and exports," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(5), pages 1573-1590, November.
    28. Benjamin Goldsmith & Yusaku Horiuchi, 2011. "In Search of Soft Power: Does Foreign Public Opinion Matter for U.S. Foreign Policy," Crawford School Research Papers 1108, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.
    29. Bandiera, Luca & Tsiropoulos, Vasileios, 2020. "A Framework to Assess Debt Sustainability under the Belt and Road Initiative," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    30. Chilton, Adam S. & Milner, Helen V. & Tingley, Dustin, 2020. "Reciprocity and Public Opposition to Foreign Direct Investment," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 50(1), pages 129-153, January.
    31. Goldsmith, Benjamin E. & Horiuchi, Yusaku & Wood, Terence, 2014. "Doing Well by Doing Good: The Impact of Foreign Aid on Foreign Public Opinion," Quarterly Journal of Political Science, now publishers, vol. 9(1), pages 87-114, March.
    32. Zhai, Fan, 2018. "China’s belt and road initiative: A preliminary quantitative assessment," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 84-92.
    33. Moulton, Brent R, 1990. "An Illustration of a Pitfall in Estimating the Effects of Aggregate Variables on Micro Unit," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 72(2), pages 334-338, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nugent, Jeffrey B. & Lu, Jiaxuan, 2021. "China's outward foreign direct investment in the Belt and Road Initiative: What are the motives for Chinese firms to invest?," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    2. Eichenauer, Vera Z. & Fuchs, Andreas & Brückner, Lutz, 2021. "The effects of trade, aid, and investment on China's image in Latin America," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(2), pages 483-498.
    3. Jeffrey B. Nugent & Jiaxuan Lu, 2020. "Does the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce Align Private Firms with the Goals of the People's Republic of China's Belt and Road Initiative?," Asian Development Review, MIT Press, vol. 37(2), pages 45-76, September.
    4. Koffi Dumor & Li Yao & Jean-Paul Ainam & Edem Koffi Amouzou & Williams Ayivi, 2021. "Quantitative Dynamics Effects of Belt and Road Economies Trade Using Structural Gravity and Neural Networks," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(3), pages 21582440211, July.
    5. Koffi Dumor & Yao Li & Ma Yongkai & Enock Mintah Ampaw & Hafez Komla Dumor, 2022. "Evaluating the belt and road initiative effects on trade and migration: Evidence from the East African community," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 34(1), pages 16-28, March.
    6. Asmus, Gerda & Eichenauer, Vera & Fuchs, Andreas & Parks, Bradley, 2021. "Does India use development finance to compete with China? A subnational analysis," Kiel Working Papers 2189, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    7. Qian Liu & Yingying Wang & Ning Kang, 2023. "Analyzing the Influence of BRI Foreign Direct Investment on Governance: Perspective from Southeast Asian Countries," Global Journal of Emerging Market Economies, Emerging Markets Forum, vol. 15(2), pages 289-305, May.
    8. Chi Zhang & Ivan T. Kandilov & Mark D. Walker, 2022. "Belt and road initiative and Chinese cross‐border mergers and acquisitions," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(6), pages 1978-1996, June.
    9. Wellner, Lukas & Dreher, Axel & Fuchs, Andreas & Parks, Bradley & Strange, Austin M., 2022. "Can aid buy foreign public support? Evidence from Chinese development finance," Kiel Working Papers 2214, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    10. Zhang, Yun & Liu, Yun & Zhang, Yifei & Chen, Xin, 2022. "Globalization blueprint and households’ fintech debt: Evidence from China’s One Belt One Road initiative," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 38-55.
    11. Yu, Zhen & Li, Yuankun & Xie, Xubin, 2021. "Long-term trade impact of epidemic outbreaks: Is it V-shaped?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 16-40.
    12. Yang, Yiwen & Lin, Chinho, 2021. "Impact of the “Belt and Road Initiative” on machinery production networks," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    13. Meng Gao & Chenxin Jin & Wei Jin & Bin Sheng & Linpu Xu, 2024. "The trade and welfare effects of the belt and road initiative," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(2), pages 446-479, May.
    14. Lu, Shuai & Chen, Ning & Zhou, Wei & Li, Shouwei, 2024. "Impact of the belt and road initiative on trade status and FDI attraction: A local and global network perspective," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(PA), pages 1468-1495.
    15. Liu, Zhigao & Schindler, Seth & Liu, Weidong, 2020. "Demystifying Chinese overseas investment in infrastructure: Port development, the Belt and Road Initiative and regional development," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    16. Laurent Didier, 2019. "Soft power and exporters behavior in international trade," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 39(4), pages 2595-2614.
    17. Jin, Gang & Shen, Kunrong & Jiang, Yue, 2021. "Does the Belt and Road Initiative cause more troubled Chinese overseas investments?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 217-232.
    18. Kamalbek Karymshakov & Burulcha Sulaimanova, 2021. "The impact of infrastructure on trade in Central Asia," Asia Europe Journal, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 5-20, December.
    19. Koffi Dumor & Li Yao, 2019. "Estimating China’s Trade with Its Partner Countries within the Belt and Road Initiative Using Neural Network Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-22, March.
    20. Weidner, Martin & Zylkin, Thomas, 2021. "Bias and consistency in three-way gravity models," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Global image; Public approval; Belt and Road Initiative; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F02 - International Economics - - General - - - International Economic Order and Integration
    • F42 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - International Policy Coordination and Transmission
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:qld:uq2004:635. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SOE IT (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/decuqau.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.