Back to the future: China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ Initiative

Since its introduction in the fall of 2013, China’s ‘One Belt, One Belt’ initiative has been the centre of a plethora of in-depth analyses and policy announcements. Heralded by many as a centrepiece of President Xi Jinping’s foreign policy and domestic economic strategy, this grandiose initiative has certainly captured the attention of many policy-makers, analysts and commentators, marking a significant milestone in the country’s trajectory of engagement in the international milieu. Whether China’s grand design for its new trade routes will ultimately become a game-changer remains to be seen, yet its ‘back-to-the-future’ approach contained in its OBOR policy presents many potential benefits for Beijing, despite the evident risks.

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