RESEARCH ON THE EVOLUTION AND INFLUENCING FACTORS OF NATURAL GAS TRADE NETWORK IN COUNTRIES ALONG THE BELT AND ROAD

Abstract

This paper analyzes the characteristic structure and influencing factors of the natural gas trade network between China and the countries along the "Belt and Road" by building an international trade network model and a least squares regression model. Research shows that: China, Russia, the United Arab Kingdom, and Turkey are central countries in the natural gas trading network, and have certain influence and control over other countries in the network, which is in line with the "The 80/20 Rule". The degree of heterogeneity of the weighted network structure is decreasing. The gap between large trading countries and small countries is shrinking. In terms of influencing factors, the difference in per capita carbon dioxide and urbanization has positive and negative effects on the trade volume between China and the countries along the route, respectively.