The Belt and Road Initiative in the Context of the COVID-19.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) outlines a new conceptual framework that would allow China to play a bigger role in the world economy and international relations. However, the conceptual foundation of the BRI establishes essential components of the Chinese foreign (economic) policy in the long run. Understanding China’s BRI development strategies may help the neighbouring states to learn Beijing’s intentions at the regional level. Is the BRI China’s vehicle for the road to a peaceful development or is it a covering strategy for acquiring, at least, regional hegemony? Moreover, how the BRI is going to develop considering the COVID-19 outbreak? The goals of the essay are to examine the core features of China´s most audacious project: The Belt and Road Initiative. However, the scope of the paper goes further explaining BRI’s geopolitical aims, how the COVID-19 may transform the project, and its relevance to China´s financial reformation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]