Abstract

China has recently begun to flesh out its plans for the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, first announced in 2013. For example, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has already approved nine projects, and committed over US$1.7 billion investment to the scheme in 2016 alone. As China's plans progress, now is an opportune juncture to consider the robustness of the investment treaties in place along the Belt and Road that will protect Chinese investments and have a large impact on the ability of China successfully to realise its dream of reviving ...