As part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China has actively participated in global port construction over the past decade. This study aims to evaluate the outcomes of these efforts and enrich the theoretical framework of BRI development. We constructed a port vitality index (PVI) using shipping big data. The PVI was calculated across four key dimensions (production, maritime, service, and radiation) using 17 fundamental indicators based on the port transportation chain model. This study evaluated the vitality of port development over the past decade. The results were as follows. (1) There was significant growth from 2013 to 2022 in the overall vitality index of ports invested in China, with Asia and Europe being the primary hubs of port vitality, and Africa emerging as a major center of growth. (2) There was higher vitality growth among ports where China was involved in both investment and operations, compared to ports where China's role was limited to construction. (3) Chinese port construction companies held global power by helping developing countries or regions lacking transportation capacity quickly establish international transportation capabilities. (4) Terminal operators and shipping companies invested in ports with strong underlying conditions, located on key shipping routes with minimal economic risks, to ensure effective investment outcomes. (5) Some small and medium-sized ports gained rapid production vitality through investment, yet lacked maritime vitality, as insufficient urban market growth hinders the increase in maritime vitality. The port vitality evaluation method proposed in this study provides insights for adjusting China's future port investment strategies and optimizing location choices for enterprise investments. It also enriches the theoretical framework of the BRI development and provides practical evidence of China's commitment to fostering shared prosperity with the Global South through port infrastructure development.

The arms trade serves as a critical tool for the United States to advance its foreign policy objectives and secure its geopolitical interests. Understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics of U.S. arms exports is essential to deciphering its strategic trajectory on the global stage. This study leverages data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Arms Transfers Database and employs a suite of robust analytical methods, including dependency modeling, Poisson regression, and dynamic Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). These methodologies provide a nuanced understanding of the spatial evolution of U.S. arms exports, the underlying factors shaping their patterns, and the geopolitical ramifications of these exports. By integrating these approaches, the study offers a comprehensive framework for analyzing how U.S. arms trade functions as a key instrument in its global strategic playbook. The results indicate the following developmental characteristics in the spatial pattern of U.S. arms exports: (1) The United States solidifies its position as the largest arms exporter, with significant growth in both export volume and its share of the global market. Its geo-military influence is expanding into regions traditionally aligned with Russia. A defining feature of U.S. arms exports is the diversity of its offerings, with military aircraft and missiles dominating, catering to both combat and deterrence needs. (2) U.S. arms exports are predominantly focused on the periphery of the Eurasian continent, including Western Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and East Asia. The heavy reliance of importing nations on U.S. weaponry underscores America's strategy to curb the rise of global powers in Eurasia and uphold its global hegemony. (3) U.S. arms exports are positively influenced by factors such as oil production, resource endowments, political freedoms, democratic governance, military alliances, market size, and defense expenditures. However, defense cooperation with importing nations, involving sheltering mechanisms and deterrence strategies, often reduces the volume of U.S. arms exports. (4) The geopolitical objectives of U.S. arms exports focus on controlling key oil-producing countries to secure energy needs, expanding arms industry market share for economic and geopolitical gains, bolstering allies’ military capabilities to counter strategic competitors, and sustaining military trade to reinforce alliances. The overarching goal is to influence regional security dynamics and maintain global hegemony by balancing power in strategic regions.

Examining the spatial effects of the host country's geo-setting and its changes on the investor country's outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) within a risk framework is of critical importance. It aids in understanding the host country's geo-setting and risks, supports the investor country in formulating strategic decisions and precise investments, and contributes to the design of geo-setting systems. Utilizing multi-source heterogeneous data, this study develops an analytical framework to assess the impact of the host country's geo-setting on the investor country's OFDI, considering three dimensions: political, economic, and social aspects. By applying the full permutation polygon method and the modified spatial Durbin model, the study measures and empirically tests the spatial effects of geopolitical risk and its changes on China's OFDI in 27 African countries. The key findings are as follows: (1) Between 2010 and 2021, geopolitical risks in various dimensions and the overall geo-setting of the 27 African countries experienced slight increases, exhibiting alternating changes, notable country-specific differences, a flattening of risk patterns, with political risk being the primary source. (2) There is evident spatial heterogeneity and mismatch between the host countries' geopolitical risks and China's OFDI. China's direct investment in the 27 African countries has not decreased or shifted due to higher geopolitical risks, demonstrating strong temporal and spatial inertia. Investment flows and stocks alternate between aggregation and dispersion, with varying country-level patterns. (3) An increase in the host country's geopolitical risks significantly reduces China's OFDI stocks and flows, but simultaneously promotes direct investment in neighboring and geopolitically linked countries. The direct effects and spatial spillover effects of geo-setting risks in different dimensions and elements on the OFDI stock and flow of the investor country vary considerably. (4) Control variables exhibit direct effects and spatial spillover effects. The reduction in bilateral geographical distance, the strengthening of political and diplomatic relations, responses to each other's geopolitical strategies, and an increase in investment dependence facilitate the attraction of China's OFDI in both the host country and its neighboring regions. The paper concludes by discussing the study's quantitative contributions to the understanding of geo-setting, as well as future research directions and policy recommendations.

The relationship between economic cooperation and security cooperation has become a major concern in profound changes unseen in centuries, and an essential element in understanding the restructuring of world political and economic order. Based on the theoretical framework of coevolution of defense cooperation and bilateral loan networks, this paper examines the spatiotemporal evolution of global defense cooperation and bilateral loan networks from 1980 to 2020. Further, it explores the correlation mechanism of network coevolution by using network analysis and stochastic actor-oriented model. We conclude that: (1) the defense cooperation network shows a clear equilibrium trend with a significant triadic closure effect, while the bilateral loan network exhibits an obvious hierarchical structure with a weak transmission effect. (2) There is significant spatial differentiation in defense cooperation and bilateral loans, characterized by a strong presence in the north and a weaker presence in the south. National geopolitical strategies play a crucial role in driving the generation and evolution of bilateral cooperation pathways. (3) The evolution of defense cooperation network is shaped by bilateral loan network through side-payment and issue linkage mechanisms, while the evolution of bilateral loan network is influenced by defense cooperation network through security demand and issue linkage mechanisms. Nodal degree and structural similarity have varying effects on network coevolution. (4) The evolution of defense cooperation network is a result of both endogenous structures like preferential attachment and triadic closure, and exogenous factors such as bilateral trade, arms transfers, and colonial relations. The evolution of loan network is positively influenced by preferential attachment as structural endogeneity and exogenous factors like military alliances, bilateral imports, and creditors' per capita GDP. This study serves as a valuable reference for understanding the correlation between global security and economic trends and accelerating the construction of a new security pattern.