China's OBOR will follow opportunities, not blueprint

Subject

The One Belt One Road initiative.

Significance

China's top economic planning body yesterday released a document on the Maritime Silk Road, adding to a growing set of authoritative central government documents that flesh out the nature and aims of the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative.

Impacts

• The leadership's commitment to OBOR will ensure that resources will flow to it as long as Xi remains president.
• Support could weaken when Xi steps down if his successor seeks signature initiatives of his own.
• The more cohesive OBOR becomes, the greater the risk that other governments not participating will see it as a threat.