Remaking China’s Global Image with the Belt and Road Initiative: Is the Jury Out?

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this article, the authors investigate how the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) may affect China’s global image. They find evidence that international opinions on China are diverse but not polarized. They also find that the BRI has curried favor for China in the related countries. On average, the BRI increases the net public approval rating of the Chinese leadership in these countries by 15 percentage points. Interestingly, the BRI arouses approving foreign opinions more than quietens disapproving voices. Furthermore, there is tentative evidence suggesting that the BRI impacts China’s global reputation through trade, infrastructure, debt, and people-people interactions. Lastly, respondents who are older, better educated, with a higher income, and living in urban areas viewed China more favorably after the launch of the BRI.