The approach of the United States of America towards the Belt and Road Initiative in the light of the US Grand Strategy towards China (2013-2020)

Ashrafi, Hamid Reza; Sheikholeslami, Mohammad Hasan

doi:10.22059/jcountst.2023.91657

The approach of the United States of America towards the Belt and Road Initiative in the light of the US Grand Strategy towards China (2013-2020)

Document Type : Original

Authors

Hamid Reza Ashrafi

Mohammad Hasan Sheikholeslami

Diplomacy and International Organizations, School of International Relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tehran, Iran.

10.22059/jcountst.2023.91657

Abstract

The Belt and Road Initiative was launched in 2013 by Chinese President, Xi Jinping. This initiative is one of the important aspects of China's foreign policy. On the other hand, due to the geographical extent, extensive infrastructural dimensions and subsequent developments of this project, different countries have studied and paid special attention to it at both academic and executive levels. The study of relations between the United States of America and China has always been of interest to international relations experts. In this light, the United States of America has also considered the Belt and Road Initiative and has followed a certain pattern of behavior towards it. Therefore, knowing the American behavior pattern and approach towards the Belt and Road Initiative will reveal important axes of the dynamics of mutual relations between these two countries. The current study examines and evaluates the approach of the United States towards China's Belt and Road Initiative in the light of the US grand strategy towards China in the period of 2013-2020. Therefore, the current research seeks to answer the main question, “How can the behavioral pattern of the United States of America be explained towards China's Belt and Road Initiative in the mentioned time frame?” The findings of the article show that the United States considers the Belt-Road as a project aimed at increasing China's geopolitical influence at both the international level and the Indo-Pacific region, which has followed the pattern of competition and confrontation towards this project due to the level of conflict between the interests of the project and those of the United States. The method of analysis used in the current research is qualitative content analysis and available data, sources and documents.

Keywords

balance of power

China’s BRI

national security

offensive realism

The United States of America

Subjects

International Relations

حوزه موضوعی: چین و امریکا

Scope: China and USA

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