Engaging with China’s Belt and Road Initiative: Understanding Why States Participate

This paper examines why host states engage with China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and the factors that influence their differing levels of engagement. The paper draws on an original quantitative dataset that tracks the intensity of host states’ engagement with the BRI. Regression analysis is used to examine factors influencing host state engagement levels. The key findings from the quantitative study show that trade relations—including direct trade ties with China and the BRI engagement levels of a state’s trade partners—significantly positively impact a host state’s engagement with the BRI. Additionally, government effectiveness and membership in pro-China international alliances have a positive influence on BRI engagement. By identifying host state participation patterns, this study deepens our understanding of when, why and to what extent states join the BRI. In doing so, this thesis contributes important new insights into the agency of host states and the BRI’s global trajectory.