Abstract: Theoretically speaking, the quality improvement of the transport infrastructure along the Belt and Road countries could affect China’s export of goods through the trade creation effect, trade diversion effect and trade substitution effect. This paper makes use of China’s export data of HS6 product level to the 52 countries along the Belt and Road in 2014 to analyze the impact of the quality of transport infrastructure along the Belt and Road countries on China’s goods export based on the gravity model. The empirical results show that the quality improvement of the transport infrastructure of the Belt and Road countries is to the benefit of the growth of China’s goods export. The improvements in the quality of roads, railways, ports and aviation infrastructure of the countries along the Belt and Road can all contribute to China’s export of goods. The quality improvement of transport infrastructure along China-Mongolia-Russia, China-Singapore, China-Suez and New Eurasian Continental Bridge Economic Corridor has generated positive impact on the export of Chinese goods. However, the improvement of transportation infrastructure in the economic corridor of BCIM has no significant impact on China’s exports.

Key words: the Belt and Road initiative; transport infrastructure; export of goods