Based on Liner Shipping Bilateral Connectivity Index and Port Liner Shipping Connectivity Index developed by UNCTAD, this paper constructs complex network with countries/regions and ports as nodes respectively, explores the hierarchical structure and its spatial and temporal evolution of the Maritime Silk Road ports network. The results show that: (1) The ports network forms a pattern centered on China, Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, Europe, and presents a small world as whole, which consistent with the "core-edge" theory; (2) In terms of the hierarchy of the ports network, when countries/regions are used as nodes, they can be divided into four categories: core, semi-core, semi-fringe and fringe; when ports are used as nodes, they can be divided into four categories: core ports, semi-core ports, trunk ports and feeder ports; (3) In terms of spatial and temporal evolution of port networks, among the eight sub-networks formed by 124 ports, the sub-networks of China, Southeast Asia, Europe, North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa are consistent with the whole, showing a trend of decentralization and equalization. The sub-networks of South Asia and West Asia are in the fluctuating stage, and the sub-networks of Northeast Asia show a trend of clustering, and the spatial auto-correlation of each port sub-network is strong. The core status of China, Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia have been consolidated; (4) The evolution of network is influenced by cooperation mechanisms, policies and strategies, technological progress, the scale effect and polarization effects of ports. These conclusions provide theoretical basis for China to promote the MSR interconnection, ports cooperation and rational layout of liner shipping routes.
