Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of trade network in the Belt and Road Region on various countries’ upgrading in Global Value Chains (GVC). Based on the analytic network process, this paper describes the network characteristics of different countries through the contact breadth, intensity and centrality. This paper also explores and validates the mechanism of how the development of trade relations network influences various countries’ upgrading in GVC. As a result, three conclusions are drawn. Firstly, the breadth and intensity of ties between countries have increased significantly, and China has replaced Italy as the country with the highest central position in the network. Secondly, the upgrading of the contact breadth, intensity and centrality of the sample countries in trade network can significantly enhance their status in GVC. Thirdly, the mechanism tests indicate that technology spillover and industrial transfer and economy of scale are important mediator channels for trade network of the Belt and Road countries to reposition all the relevant countries in GVC. And the mediating effect of technology spillover is the biggest, which shows that technology spillover is the most important channel for trade network to promote all the relevant countries’ upgrading in GVC.

Key words: the Belt and Road, trade network, upgrading in global value chains, network process, mediation effect