Dr Michael Clarke is Associate Professor at the National Security College, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University, Canberra and Director of the ANU-Indiana University Pan-Asia Institute.
This article argues that Beijing’s ambitious ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ (BRI) is driven by the convergence of Innenpolitik and Aussenpolitik motivations including a desire: to counterbalance perceived American predominance; to ensure economic growth to underpin the CCP’s legitimacy; and to present China as a viable alternate global leader to the United States.
