The first major academic monograph on President Xi Jinping's "One Belt, One Road" initiative, under which China will seek to redevelop the ancient overland and marine routes through which traders sold silk and porcelain abroad hundreds of years ago and built cultural ties, was unveiled on Sunday.

The book takes a look at the roots and the future of the ambitious international cooperation project.

First proposed by Xi in September 2013, the "One Belt, One Road" program is aimed at developing a network of railways, highways and other infrastructure projects, as well as oil and gas pipelines, power grids, Internet networks and aviation routes in the Eurasian area and in Southeast Asia.