The 'One Belt One Road' Initiative and its impact on shipping law in China

Carriage of goods by sea is currently governed by a variety of international treaties. The 2008 Rotterdam Rules represents the international community's most recent effort to harmonise and modernise the rules governing international contracts of carriage in an era of new commercial practices and technological advances. Nevertheless, most countries, especially those in Asia, have adopted a, 'wait and see' attitude. Upon examination of the recent developments in shipping law in China, this paper concludes that, while widespread ratification of the Rotterdam Rules is unlikely in the near future, harmonisation of shipping laws, through incorporating the relevant provisions into domestic laws, is possible. China, as the proposer of the, 'One Belt One Road' Initiative, may be considered as a leading country in this endeavour.