The Geopolitics of China's Belt and Road Initiative by Theodo... - 9781032615998

The Geopolitics of China's Belt and Road InitiativeAuthor(s): Theodor Tudoroiu\nFormat: Paperback\nPublisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd, United Kingdom\nImprint: Routledge\nISBN-13: 9781032615998, 978-1032615998\nSynopsis\nThis book argues that Chinas Belt and Road Initiative should be seen more as a geopolitical project and less as a global economic project, with China aiming to bring about a new Chinese-led international order. It contends that Chinas international approach has two personas an aggressive one, focusing on a nineteenth century-style territorial empire, which is applied to Taiwan and the seas adjacent to China; and a new-style persona, based on relationship building with the political elites of countries in the Global South, relying on large scale infrastructure projects to help secure the elites in power, a process often leading to lower democratic participation and weaker governance structures. It also shows how this relationship building with elites leads to an acc.