China’s Belt and Road Initiative in the Sino-US strategic rivalry: Implications and the main US response

Occupation: Researcher, School of Foreign Studies, Nanjing University of Science and Technology; PhD student, Department of Political Analysis and Management, RUDN University
Affiliation:
Nanjing University of Science and Technology
RUDN University
Address: China, Nanjing; Russia, Moscow

Journal name

Asia and Africa Today

Edition

Issue 10

Pages

65-72

Abstract

The Sino-US relations have faced an unprecedented challenge and deteriorated to the lowest point in 4 decades during the Trump presidency. The ongoing Sino-US strategic rivalry led to the speculation that the two giants would head into the “New Cold War”. China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) also becomes a main target of this strategic rivalry. This article offers the strategic analysis of China’s BRI from the US perspective at different levels, focusing on the changing role of BRI and its implications among US think tanks during the Trump presidency. It also provides the policy recommendations from the US think tanks in responding the BRI challenge, emphasizing the Indo-Pacific strategy as the main counter-strategy towards the BRI, and finally reviewed both the Trump Administration’s and the Biden Administration’s main efforts in countering the BRI.

The Biden Administration focuses on countering China as its foreign policy priority, particularly countering China’s BRI through variety of means as diplomatic coordination, democratic values, and the global infrastructure alternative made by the US-led Collective West. Thus, China’s BRI will be the major target in the US China policy-making in the long run.

Keywords

Sino-US relations, strategic rivalry, the Belt and Road Initiative, the Indo-Pacific strategy, the Trump Administration, the Biden Administration

Received

10.05.2022

Publication date

11.11.2022

Number of characters

25510

Cite

GOST	Cheng G. China’s Belt and Road Initiative in the Sino-US strategic rivalry: Implications and the main US response // Asia and Africa Today – 2022. – Issue 10 C. 65-72 [Electronic resource]. URL: https://asaf-today.ru/S032150750018982-2-1 (circulation date: 02.05.2024). DOI: 10.31857/S032150750018982-2
MLA	Cheng, Guo "China’s Belt and Road Initiative in the Sino-US strategic rivalry: Implications and the main US response." Asia and Africa Today 10 (2022):65-72. DOI: 10.31857/S032150750018982-2
APA	Cheng G. (2022). China’s Belt and Road Initiative in the Sino-US strategic rivalry: Implications and the main US response. Asia and Africa Today (10), pp.65-72 DOI: 10.31857/S032150750018982-2

100 rub.

When subscribing to an article or issue, the user can download PDF, evaluate the publication or contact the author. Need to register.

Number of purchasers: 0, views: 249

Readers community rating: votes 0

1. Johnson C.K. President Xi Jinping’s ‘Belt and Road’ initiative. Center for Strategic and International Studies. 2016. 28. Pp. 1-24.

2. Dyer G. Obama Says AIIB Could Be ‘Positive’ for Asia. Financial Times, April 28, 2015. https://www.ft.com/content/80271e0c-eddc-11e4-90d2-00144feab7de (accessed 18.07.2022)

3. Chance A. American Perspectives on the Belt and Road Initiative: Source of Concern, possibilities for US-China cooperation. Institute for China-America studies. November 2016. https://chinaus-icas.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/American-Perspectives-on-the-Belt-and-Road-Initiative.pdf (accessed 28.07.2022)

4. Panda A. 6 Major Takeaways from Indian PM Narendra Modi’s First Summit with Donald Trump. https://thediplomat.com/2017/06/6-major-takeaways-from-indian-pm-narendra-modi-first-summit-with-donald-trump/ (accessed 30.07.2022)

5. Russel D., Berger B. Weaponizing the Belt and Road Initiative. Asia Society Policy Institute. 2020. https://asiasociety.org/sites/default/files/202009/Weaponizing%20the%20Belt%20and%20Road%20Initiative_0.pdf (accessed 12.07.2022)

6. Tillerson R.W. Defining Our Relationship with India for the Next Century, Remarks at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. October 18, 2017. Pp. 7-8.

7. Remarks by Vice President Pence at the 2018 APEC CEO Summit, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, November 16, 2018. https://kr.usembassy.gov/111618-remarks-by-vice-president-pence-at-the-2018-apec-ceo-summit/ (accessed 28.07.2022)

8. OBOR partially aims to marginalise US influence in Pacific: Admiral Harry Harris. The Economic Times. March 16, 2018. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/obor-partially-aims-to-marginalise-us-influence-in-pacific-top-us-admiral/articleshow/63330657.cms?from=mdr (accessed 05.07.2022)

9. Advance Policy Questions for Admiral Philip Davidson. Hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee. April 17, 2018. https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Davidson_APQs_04-17-18.pdf (accessed 10.07.2022)

10. Senate Hearing “Global Challenges and US national security strategy”. Senate Committee on Armed Services. January 25, 2018. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-115shrg39552/html/CHRG-115shrg39552.htm (accessed 29.07.2022)

11. Hearing on China’s Belt and Road Initiative. US Senate on Finance. June 12, 2019. https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/43886.pdf (accessed 30.07.2022)

12. Murray C. An analysis of China’s Belt and Road initiative and its neo-colonial ambitions. Routes. 2022. 2(3). Pp. 176-182; Kleven A. Belt and Road: colonialism with Chinese characteristics. Lowy Institute. May 6, 2019. https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/belt-and-road-colonialism-chinese-characteristics (accessed 29.07.2022)

13. Gondon D., Tong H.Y., Anderson T. Beyond the Myths - Towards a Realistic Assessment of China’s Belt and Road Initiative: The Security Dimension. The International Institute for Strategic Studies. 2020.

14. Cheng G. China’s Digital Silk Road in the age of the digital economy: Political analysis. Vestnik RUDN. International Relations. 2022. 22(2). Pp. 271-287. https://doi.org/10.22363/2313-0660-2022-22-2-271-287

15. Carrai M.A. The Rise of Screening Mechanisms in the Global North: Weaponizing the Law against China’s Weaponized Investment. The Chinese Journal of Comparative Law. 2020. Vol. 8. Issue 2. Pp. 351-383.

16. Zhu Z.Can the Quad Counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative? The Diplomat. March 14, 2018. https://thediplomat.com/2018/03/can-the-quad-counter-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative/ (accessed 29.07.2022)

17. Cheng G., Chen L., Degterev, D.A. Geopolitical Implications of China’s “One Belt One Road” Strategy. Vestnik RUDN. International Relations. 2019. 19 (1). Pp. 77-88. DOI: 10.22363/2313-0660-2019-19-1-77-88

18. National Security Strategy of the United States of America. The White House. December 18, 2017. https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/NSS-Final-12-18-2017-0905.pdf (accessed 30.07.2022)

19. Feng Y., Gabuev A., Haenle P., Ma B., Trenin D. The Belt and Road Initiative: Views from Washington, Moscow, and Beijing. Carnegie Center. April 8, 2019. https://carnegieendowment.org/2019/04/08/belt-and-road-initiative-views-from-washington-moscow-and-beijing-pub-78774 (accessed 15.07.2022)

20. Hu M., Meng W. The US Indo-Pacific Strategy and China’s Response. China Review. 2020. Vol. 20. № 3. Pp. 143-176.

21. Lew J.J., Roughead G. China’s Belt and Road: Implications for the United States. Council on Foreign Relations. Independent Task Force Report № 79. 2021. https://www.cfr.org/report/chinas-belt-and-road-implications-for-the-united-states/download/pdf/2021-04/TFR%20%2379_China%27s%20Belt%20and%20Road_Implications%20for%20the%20United%20States_FINAL.pdf (accessed 31.07.2022)

22. Chacko P., Wilson J. Australia, Japan and India: A trilateral coalition in the IndoPacific? Perth, US Asia Center. September 2020. 38 p.

23. S.1169 - Strategic Competition Act of 2021. US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1169/text (accessed 31.07.2022)

24. S.1260 - United States Innovation and Competition Act of 2021. Senate Committees on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1260/text (accessed 30.07.2022)

25. Wells D., Garrison J. House passes COMPETES Act bill aimed at boosting US competitiveness with China. USA Today. February 4, 2022. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/02/04/house-passes-america-competes-act-aimed-competing-china/6641085001/ (accessed 31.07.2022)

26. Zhao M.H. The Belt and Road Initiative and China-US strategic competition. China International Strategy Review. 2021. 3(2). Pp. 248-260. DOI: 10.1007/s42533-021-00087-7

27. Li X. “Summit for Democracy”: a symbol of the new “iron curtain”. Global Times. December 12, 2021. https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202112/1241306.shtml (accessed 31.07.2022)