ANALYSIS OF THE NATURAL GAS TRADE NET AMONG COUNTRIES OF THE ONE BELT ONE ROAD INITIATIVE
https://doi.org/10.48137/26870703_2026_34_2_91
Abstract
The Belt and Road Initiative is gradually taking shape as a key institutional platform for international energy cooperation. Natural gas, as a critical transitional energy carrier in the context of global lowcarbon development, plays a significant role in ensuring the sustainability of economic interaction and energy security among the participating countries. This study focuses on the Belt and Road countries as its research object. Based on UN Comtrade data, the paper constructs a directed weighted network of natural gas trade for 132 Belt and Road countries over the period 2014–2023. Indicators such as density, reciprocity, average clustering coefficient, and giant component size are calculated. Community analysis is performed using the Louvain method. The results show that the network scale increased by 47.3 %, yet density remains low and trade relations are predominantly onesided. China is the absolute centre in terms of imports, while export roles are distributed among Turkmenistan, Qatar and Russia (multipolarity). Community modularity declined from 0.647 to 0.293, indicating a weakening of regional closure and a shift towards a more integrated global network. Regional isolated blocs are gradually converging, giving rise to a larger trading community encompassing Russia, Central Asia, the Middle East and China. The findings indicate a strengthening of gas cooperation and a greater degree of integration within the natural gas trading system among the countries participating in the Belt and Road initiative.
About the Authors
A. A. Mihranyan
Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Aza (Azganush) A. MIHRANYAN, Doctor of Economics, Professor, Head of the Political Economy Department
32, Nakhimov Ave., Moscow, 117218
M. Gu
Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Mengyao GU, postgraduate student
32, Nakhimov Ave., Moscow, 117218
Y. Zhou
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Yuanqi ZHOU, postgraduate student Higher School of Modern Social Sciences
119991, Moscow, Leninskie Gory, 1, building 13
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Review
For citations:
Mihranyan A.A., Gu M., Zhou Y. ANALYSIS OF THE NATURAL GAS TRADE NET AMONG COUNTRIES OF THE ONE BELT ONE ROAD INITIATIVE. Geoeconomics of Energetics. 2026;(2):91-111. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.48137/26870703_2026_34_2_91
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