Belt and Road Initiative and International Political Economy: Convergence to Transformation from Liberal Globalization to Realist Globalization?

Abstract

This paper examines whether an association emerges between the tendencies of BRI and the international system in terms of globalization which is a good signal for the main characteristic of the international system. The paper has three sections. The first analyzes the tendencies of the international system, the second analyzes the convergence of BRI corridors, and the third discusses the emergence of association between BRI and the international system and the case of non-participants of BRI but effective countries in the international system. The coefficient of variation is used to determine convergence through the KOF Globalization Index-2022 due to its very effective separation between markets and states to support globalization. The conclusion indicates that the international system and BRI have an association in a transformation from liberal globalization to realist globalization while Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom have a reverse transformation with their recent critical positions to BRI.