“Belt and Road Initiative: Why China Pursues It” is a new commentary by DKI APCSS Research Fellow Anu Anwar for RSIS. The commentary diagnosis primary causes for China to push forward this initiative despite mounting economic and political risks. Anwar then segmented those factors into China’s internal and external dynamics, which led to this initiative and explained the image of global leadership that China sought to achieve through this initiative. According to Anwar, “The prospect for success of the BRI depends on an array of factors, ranging from China’s handling of its domestic economic downturn to potential international backlash. After six [...]