Scientific Collaboration Network Structure and Connectedness Among the “Belt and Road” Countries

While the economic, social, political, and environmental impacts of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) have been extensively studied, the scientific collaboration network among the BRI countries has rarely been examined. Based on publication data for 2005–2019, this paper examines the scientific collaboration network structure and connectedness among the BRI countries. Social network analysis indicates that the centrality and density of the scientific collaboration network have been increasingly strengthening. However, the efficiency of the scientific collaboration network needs to be improved. Connectedness analysis shows that there is remarkable scientific research interdependence among major BRI countries. With relatively large connectedness to others, countries such as China and India are the hubs of the scientific connection.