서강대학교

초록 (요약문)

Since Chinese President Xi Jinping began his norm-breaking third term, more attention has been paid to his foreign policies against the backdrop of the escalating Sino- US rivalry. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has aroused broad debates as it has been Xi’s flagship foreign policy for the past ten years (2013-2023). This study explores the role of the BRI transport infrastructure connectivity in China’s relations with Southeast Asian countries within the context of the Sino-US rivalry and why Southeast Asian countries respond to BRI differently regarding the transport infrastructure connectivity. The study utilizes Khanna’s concept to emphasize the significance of physical geography and manmade connectivity in forming cooperative relations among countries, but rejects Khanna’s argument that national borders and sovereignty are not important. The analysis shows the BRI transport infrastructure connectivity and the physical geography have strengthened China’s relations with the Southeast Asian countries. The geographical features in addition to the economic connections of each country contributes to the different responses of Southeast Asian countries to China’s BRI transport infrastructure connectivity. First, the Southeast Asian countries that China can access through land infrastructures are more likely to maintain better relations with China; second, countries with relatively weaker economies have a higher probability of being connected with China through the BRI transport infrastructure connectivity. The strengthening relations between China and Southeast Asian countries can help to reduce the risks of US-led containment to China amidst the Sino-US rivalry.