Belt and Road: A Chinese World Order

I read this book in September 2020 as it was chosen for discussion by a member of the group, not me. My low rating of 2 is based on the fact that there are no maps in the book, a major failure on the part of the publisher or the author. The author even states early in the book that maps are important to understand the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).It is also based on the author’s obvious bias towards China and making the BRI look as positive as possible. He does mention some of the issues with the BRI but provides little detail on them.In preparing for the discussion of the book, I found other sources ( free on the Internet) that provided descriptions of the BRI that are better written, more complete and balanced and much better organized. These often contain views that tend to counter the purely positive aspects of the BRI as presented by the PRC. Some were written at the same time the book was published while others were published in 2019 and 2020.Anyone interested in understanding the BRI needs to read more than just this book as lacks details about what the PRC’s geostrategic objectives are with the BRI and requires better information on financing issues, economics, and currency and foreign exchange matters.I suggest you look for related documents issued by the OECD, Asia Policy Institute and the Heritage Foundation

I like how Mr. Maçães first gives the details of the enormous investments in roads, railroads, and ports, and then explains how they fit with China’s more aggressive economic strategy. The book has four sections:• The physical and political details of Belt and Road.• How Belt and Road changes the world’s economy.• How Belt and Road challenges the US-dominant power structure.• Speculation on what the world will look like after the Belt and Road is complete.Here are some points I found interesting:THE PHYSICAL AND POLITICAL DETAILS OF BELT AND ROAD• The estimated cost for the Belt and Road initiative (BRI) is $4 trillion to $8 trillion.• The Export-Import Bank of China plans to finance more than 1000 projects in forty-nine countries.• Not only did China include the BRI in its current five-year plan, but it also wrote it into the Chinese Communist Party’s Constitution, signifying how important it is to China’s leadership.• China imports vast amounts of oil, and most of it has to pass through the Indian Ocean and Strait of Malacca into the South China Sea. If an enemy’s navy attacked these shipping lanes, China would quickly starve of energy. With Belt and Road, new pipelines to Central Asia, Russia, and Iran will relieve this vulnerability.• China is planning to pay for oil from these new sources in yuan, not dollars. As oil is the world’s most traded commodity, and China is the largest oil importer, this action will challenge the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency.THE BELT AND ROAD AND THE WORLD ECONOMY• The primary goal of the Belt and Road is economic integration.• China could fall into the “middle-income trap,” where its average wage rates rise too high to attract labor-intensive jobs, but the country’s structural issues prevent it from becoming competitive in higher value-added jobs.• Chinese companies are looking to move some factories to Central Asia, where the costs are lower. However, these plants will be customers for machinery built at higher value-added factories in China.• China has tried to lock up the supply of cobalt from the Democratic Republic of Congo, because cobalt is required to build lithium-ion batteries for electric cars, and China plans to be the world leader in building electric cars.THE BELT AND ROAD AND WORLD POLITICS• India believes that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a significant threat to its security.• India, the U.S., Japan, and Australia are considering a joint regional infrastructure plan in response to Belt and Road.• China may need to increase its military presence in areas where Belt and Road projects are threatened by local resistance.• At the Belt and Road summit in May 2017, the European Union would not sign the joint statement on trade because they believed Beijing was trying to favor Chinese companies in contracts. As one official said, “It’s about selling their stuff.”THE WORLD AFTER THE BELT AND ROAD• The Belt and Road will succeed if it moves China into the role of the dominant superpower, ending its ‘century of humiliation’ when the west dominated it.• One scenario is that China will become a prosperous western-like economy without causing any global conflict.• Another scenario is that the global world order divides into two irreconcilable visions on individual freedom, transparency, and the rule of law.Note: as some reviewers have complained, this book doesn’t contain any maps of the Belt and Road Initiative, so expect to do a few web searches. However, that didn’t bother me because the scope of Belt and Road is so enormous, it is easier for me to see it online than on a single book page. This book’s strength is Mr. Maçães’ analysis.

This is a comprehensive study of China’s ‘Belt and Road’ initiative. It looks at what the initiative is about, its enormous scope, progress that has been made, and the economic and geopolitical implications not only on Euroasia, but the world as a whole.While its contents are well-researched, the book reads rather like an academic dissertation. The author appears to have a tendency to use long sentences and paragraphs. Furthermore, given the strong geographical nature of the discussion, the reader will want to refer to relevant maps to appreciate the relationships among the many countries that are involved. I am disappointed that the author has not provided any in his book.

I thought I understood Belt and Road better than most of my fellow Americans. In reading Macaes’ eloquent, in-depth, superbly reported book I learned that I knew absolutely nothing. This is a must read to understand one of the most significant global strategic initiatives in history - objectively reported both in strengths and weaknesses.

Suggest maps are a great way to track history but includes no maps. Worst book I have read in some time.

This book provided a worthwhile foray into a set of projects that may shape large regions of the world over the next three decades. It does have room for improvement when it comes to organization , avoiding repetition, and enriching its descriptions with visual aids (maps) as appropriate. Maps are referenced indirectly and even overtly stated to be useful throughout the book but none are provided.

Macaes does a good job in describing the Belt and Road from an official-like perspective the first half seems to be a positive introduction of what the initiative is followed by the second half of criticisms and responses. Indeed the coherence of this China megaproject has not yet been met with an alternative. That is the tragedy. Too rosy about a China-centrjc world, though.

This is a great book with a broad and differentiated perspective of how China is evolving their strategy to engage with the world. Well researched and well written

BELT AND ROAD by Bruno Macaes is extremely comprehensive as it provides with intricacies of Belt & Road Initiative of china.Since author himself is senior fellow at Renmin University of China & Hudson university ,he present us with first hand account of BRI. Book is very well researched with datas, facts, quotes, newspaper articles & statements of leaders.Though the first two chapters I found not in continous flow but author in later chapters aroused my attention to minute details also. Overall the book is very informative can be used by academicians , researchers and students who are interested in geopolitics.If you want to know more about chapters i would provide it in following :The author has intelligently divided into 5 chapters:1) In 1st chapter author presents history of chinese ambitions from Mao to deng to xi jinping & connects it to arrival of BRI.Here he links BRI with traditional concept of tianxia.2) In 2nd chapter of nuts & bolts ,author details about section, subsection & various links of BRI Initiative.3) In 3rd chapter author explains how china is trying to alter economic structure & global value chain in its favour.Author emphasizes on China recent manufacturing strategy, Made in china 2025 which could cause new wave of revolution.4) Next chapter shows how BRI has potential to alter political structure & alliances.The impact of which is more visible in disruption of EU unity.This chapter also presents Indian conundrum of not joing BRI.5)In the last chapter book has unfolded many scenarios of what could happen after BRI.eg Could BRI succeed, what would be benchmark for success,Could BRI change global governance,economic & strategic rules.

Well written! Couldn’t recommend a better book on the belt and road initiative.

Great book with lots of insights, must read. Good balance on the opportunities and threats of China's increasing role on the world stage.

Very well written & very interesting

A brilliant book to read. Although the contents of the book are quite limited to the vastness of the topic, the author has made an exemplary effort in highlighting the key points of the BRI which could change the world in the coming decades.Highly recommended for anyone who wants to understand China's policy in spreading the gospel of Chinese world domination in the future.