Research question: Can the belt and road initiative be considered a form or regionalism or regionalization?
We are saying yes because….
1. Belt and Road Initiative as a form of regionalism:
• Driven by narrative, framing, labeling, and sloganization of Beijing projects, which shapes regional perceptions
• Unique “Beijing consensus” enables bottom-up methodology and cooperative developmentalism, fostering collaboration among participating nations
• Unintentional regionalization at the macro level due to BRI’s labeling and narrative, creating a shared regional identity and goals
• Government-led project with weak central control, allowing for greater regional flexibility and adaptation to local contexts
2. Unintentional nature of regionalism in BRI:
• Largely lacks formal guidance and policy from Beijing, leading to diverse interpretations and implementations
• Primarily bottom-up approach to development (cooperative developmentalism), encouraging local input and ownership of projects
• Dynamics, trends, and relations that create regional space arise from bottom-up discourse surrounding labeling, emphasizing local and regional interests over centralized control
• Unintended regionalization contributes to the growing influence of the BRI in shaping regional geopolitics and economics
Research question: Can the belt and road initiative be considered a form or regionalism or regionalization?
We are saying yes because….
1. Belt and Road Initiative as a form of regionalism:
• Driven by narrative, framing, labeling, and sloganization of Beijing projects, which shapes regional perceptions
• Unique “Beijing consensus” enables bottom-up methodology and cooperative developmentalism, fostering collaboration among participating nations
• Unintentional regionalization at the macro level due to BRI’s labeling and narrative, creating a shared regional identity and goals
• Government-led project with weak central control, allowing for greater regional flexibility and adaptation to local contexts
2. Unintentional nature of regionalism in BRI:
• Largely lacks formal guidance and policy from Beijing, leading to diverse interpretations and implementations
• Primarily bottom-up approach to development (cooperative developmentalism), encouraging local input and ownership of projects
• Dynamics, trends, and relations that create regional space arise from bottom-up discourse surrounding labeling, emphasizing local and regional interests over centralized control
• Unintended regionalization contributes to the growing influence of the BRI in shaping regional geopolitics and economics