Belt and Road Is Not a (Completely) Closed Shop

First announced in 2013, President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative promised, at a minimum, to improve infrastructure and connectivity between China and the rest of Eurasia. Any bold plan to finance infrastructure on a large-scale across so many low-income economies deserved a sympathetic ear and a positive reception. But many wondered how large the role can be for non-Chinese players in what is clearly an initiative of the Chinese government.

In this commentary the author argued that though the infrastructure initiative would continue to be led in many places by Chinese investment, where there were benefits of scale, effectiveness and risk management, outside participation would be welcome.

• Primary Source

Chatham House: Research Paper, May 2018: The Role of Investors in Promoting Sustainable Infrastructure Under the Belt and Road Initiative https://www.chathamhouse.org/publication/role-investors-promoting-sustainable-infrastructure-under-belt-and-road-initiative

EurActiv, 04.09.18: China’s ‘Silk Road’ project runs into debt jam https://www.euractiv.com/section/china/opinion/chinas-silk-road-project-runs-into-debt-jam/

Chatham House: Expert Comment, 14.05.18: How China Could Become a Global Leader in Sustainable Infrastructure https://www.chathamhouse.org/expert/comment/how-china-could-become-global-leader-sustainable-infrastructure

ESO: Find further information in ESO on China's Belt and Road Initiative http://www.europeansources.info/advSearchLink?keyword=belt%20road%20china%20&searchOption=all

Chatham House: Expert Comment, 05.07.18: Managing Risk to Build a Better Belt and Road https://www.chathamhouse.org/expert/comment/managing-risk-build-better-belt-and-road

Chatham House: Expert Comment, 23.10.18: Dollar Constraints May Lead to More Multilateral Approach for China's Belt and Road https://www.chathamhouse.org/expert/comment/dollar-constraints-may-lead-more-multilateral-approach-chinas-belt-and-road

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