Challenges faced by Chinese firms implementing the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’: Evidence from three railway projects

In 2013, China launched its ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ (BRI) as a major effort to enhance international trade and economic development. An important feature of the BRI is that it supports free trade regimes and a world economy based upon open regional cooperation. The concept of BRI involves establi...

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Main Authors: Lingfei Weng, Lan Xue, Jeffrey Sayer, Rebecca Anne Riggs, James Douglas Langston, Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2021-12-01
Series:Research in Globalization
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590051X21000393
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author Lingfei Weng
Lan Xue
Jeffrey Sayer
Rebecca Anne Riggs
James Douglas Langston
Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono
author_facet Lingfei Weng
Lan Xue
Jeffrey Sayer
Rebecca Anne Riggs
James Douglas Langston
Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono
author_sort Lingfei Weng
collection DOAJ
description In 2013, China launched its ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ (BRI) as a major effort to enhance international trade and economic development. An important feature of the BRI is that it supports free trade regimes and a world economy based upon open regional cooperation. The concept of BRI involves establishing a transport route between China and participating countries to provide more profitable trade and investment corridors. There are few comprehensive studies examining the social and environmental impact on development in recipient countries. To address this gap, this study gathered empirical evidence on railroad projects in three key countries: Indonesia, Ethiopia, and Kenya. The comparative analysis revealed that while political leaders signed agreements that welcomed China’s BRI in support of their national transport development plans, the implementation of these ambitious infrastructure projects faced significant management and operational challenges that had not been foreseen by the Chinese partners. More effective implementation of BRI infrastructure projects in the future will require better understandings of governance, specifically through harmonization with the cultural, institutional and political contexts in partner countries. Social and cultural characteristics of the countries where Chinese firms are working need to be well understood if sustainable and inclusive benefits from the BRI infrastructure projects are to be delivered. Further research on the benefits gained by local people living in the areas affected by the BRI investments is needed.
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spelling doaj.art-88af58095b6e4dfdbd8fecc36dbc16a72022-12-21T23:38:50ZengElsevierResearch in Globalization2590-051X2021-12-013100074Challenges faced by Chinese firms implementing the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’: Evidence from three railway projectsLingfei Weng0Lan Xue1Jeffrey Sayer2Rebecca Anne Riggs3James Douglas Langston4Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono5School of Public Policy and Administration, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China; Corresponding author.Schwarzman College, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; School of Public Policy and Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Forest and Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, CanadaDepartment of Forest and Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, CanadaDepartment of Forest Resources Management, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, CanadaDepartment of Forest and Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, CanadaIn 2013, China launched its ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ (BRI) as a major effort to enhance international trade and economic development. An important feature of the BRI is that it supports free trade regimes and a world economy based upon open regional cooperation. The concept of BRI involves establishing a transport route between China and participating countries to provide more profitable trade and investment corridors. There are few comprehensive studies examining the social and environmental impact on development in recipient countries. To address this gap, this study gathered empirical evidence on railroad projects in three key countries: Indonesia, Ethiopia, and Kenya. The comparative analysis revealed that while political leaders signed agreements that welcomed China’s BRI in support of their national transport development plans, the implementation of these ambitious infrastructure projects faced significant management and operational challenges that had not been foreseen by the Chinese partners. More effective implementation of BRI infrastructure projects in the future will require better understandings of governance, specifically through harmonization with the cultural, institutional and political contexts in partner countries. Social and cultural characteristics of the countries where Chinese firms are working need to be well understood if sustainable and inclusive benefits from the BRI infrastructure projects are to be delivered. Further research on the benefits gained by local people living in the areas affected by the BRI investments is needed.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590051X21000393The Belt and Road InitiativeChinese overseas firmsChinese development impactsRailways
spellingShingle Lingfei Weng
Lan Xue
Jeffrey Sayer
Rebecca Anne Riggs
James Douglas Langston
Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono
Challenges faced by Chinese firms implementing the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’: Evidence from three railway projects
Research in Globalization
The Belt and Road Initiative
Chinese overseas firms
Chinese development impacts
Railways
title Challenges faced by Chinese firms implementing the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’: Evidence from three railway projects
title_full Challenges faced by Chinese firms implementing the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’: Evidence from three railway projects
title_fullStr Challenges faced by Chinese firms implementing the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’: Evidence from three railway projects
title_full_unstemmed Challenges faced by Chinese firms implementing the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’: Evidence from three railway projects
title_short Challenges faced by Chinese firms implementing the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’: Evidence from three railway projects
title_sort challenges faced by chinese firms implementing the belt and road initiative evidence from three railway projects
topic The Belt and Road Initiative
Chinese overseas firms
Chinese development impacts
Railways
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590051X21000393
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AT jeffreysayer challengesfacedbychinesefirmsimplementingthebeltandroadinitiativeevidencefromthreerailwayprojects
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