CHARACTERISTICS OF STEEL TRADE NETWORK AND EXPORT COMPETITION RELATIONSHIP BASED ON COMPLEX NETWORK THEORY UNDER THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE

At present, China steel overcapacity is faced with the rise of international trade protectionism, which makes China's steel industry face the dual challenges of internal and external troubles. The Belt and Road Initiative provides a very rare opportunity for the development of China's steel industry, especially for the steel industry to go out. This research aims to understand the characteristics of the steel trade pattern and understand the changes of trade relations between the countries along the Belt and Road region, in order to provide a practical reference for China to carry out the steel trade in the Belt and Road region. Based on the complex network analysis method, this study uses complex network-related indicators and Louvain algorithm, etc. to analyze the characteristics of the steel trade network pattern, network influencing factors, and China's steel trade export status and the competition relationship between 65 countries along the Belt and Road region from 2008 to 2017. Through our research, we mainly give the following suggestions: (1) strengthen the trade cooperation between countries along the Belt and Road, promote the steel trade connection between countries, and promote the development of regional economic integration; (2) increase investment in transportation infrastructure along the Belt and Road to reduce steel trade costs between countries; (3) strengthen political mutual trust and cultural exchanges among countries along the Belt and Road, and reduce the impediment of political and cultural differences to steel trade between countries; (4) maintain China's core influence in the steel trade network, and further enhance the export competitiveness of steel trade