Relational governance in rhetoric and reality: explanations and problems of China’s Belt and Road Initiative from the relational perspective

There have been contending views on the implications of China’s economic rise and growing influence for global economic governance. Many Chinese officials and some Chinese IR scholars expect that the international order, at least the Asian regional order, is experiencing important transitions, which is characterized by more relational governance than rule-based governance. This article argues that, though relational governance explains the manner in which China unfolds the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), it does not guarantee success for China’s BRI projects. Based on an in-depth case study of Malaysia’s adjustment of BRI projects after the 14th general election combined with elite interviews in Malaysia, the article further suggests that China’s relational management and governance has practically generated considerable problems for the Malaysian government and challenges for China’s projects in Malaysia. It calls for a more cautious, rather than optimistic, attitude towards China’s practice of relational governance.