List of projects of the Belt and Road Initiative
[5][6][7] China began many of its investment activities in the East Africa region, given its access to ports and need for rails and roads, but initiatives have since branched out to numerous projects across the continent.
[8] Numerous studies have shown that Chinese investment has had a positive effect on Africa, though growing debt has led to some states slightly pulling back on their plans.
Some countries like Djibouti, Kenya and Uganda have issued warnings over the ballooning debt, following the case of the Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port transfer in Sri Lanka.
Since, China has introduced a number of projects including a Chinese industrial zone in the Gulf of Suez, an electric train system for its new capital, and investments in the Western Sahara.
[23] However, a study in Geoforum noted that the EIZ has yet to serve as a catalyst for Ethiopia's overall economic development due to many factors including poor infrastructure outside the zone.
The new railway line, stretching more than 750 kilometres (470 mi) and travelling at 120 km/h (75 mph), shortens the journey time between Addis Ababa and Djibouti from three days to about 12 hours.
[citation needed] In May 2014, Premier Li Keqiang signed a cooperation agreement with the Kenyan government to build the Mombasa–Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway connecting Mombasa to Nairobi.
[clarification needed] Cease in funding came rather surprisingly, but may be attributed to rising concerns globally that "Belt and Road was loading poorer nations with unsustainable debt.
[clarification needed] The implementation of the project will create more jobs, 1,000 Nigerians in selected villages have received training on how to install, recharge and operate satellite TV systems.
The Blue Line – built by China Civil Engineering Construction Corp – links the mainland part of the city where most people live with the more affluent Lagos Island, where many businesses are headquartered.
[34] Tanzania on 20 Dec 2022 signed a $2.2-billion contract with a Chinese company to build the final section of a railway line aimed at linking the country's main port with its neighbours.
The 2,561-kilometre (1,600-mile) line will link the Indian Ocean port of Dar es Salaam to Mwanza on Lake Victoria, with eventual spurs to Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda and Uganda.
"[citation needed] The creation of modern infrastructure is one of the priorities for Azerbaijan and will foster the flow of international trade by building bridges between Europe and Asia.
[53] On 26 April 2019, the leaders of Russia and China called their countries "good friends" and vowed to work together in pursuing greater economic integration of Eurasia.
On the sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, Xi and Russian president Vladimir Putin pledged to further strengthen economic and trade cooperation between the two sides.
Vladimir Putin further stated that, "countries gathering under the Belt and Road Initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union share long-term strategic interests of peace and growth".
At the First Belt and Road Forum held in Beijing May 2017 both presidents, Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan and Xi, spoke positively of future collaboration in BRI advancement.
During those meetings, the "two countries signed 115 deals worth more $23 billion on enhancing their cooperation in electrical power, oil production, chemicals, architecture, textiles, pharmaceutical engineering, transportation, infrastructure and agriculture.
"[66] In 2018, "Tajikistan paid a Chinese company building a power plant with a gold mine; a few years earlier it swapped Beijing some land for debt.
In June 2016, Gurbanguly, Turkmenistan's president, approached Xi to discuss his desire to become more involved in BRI and seeing previously planned projects completed and or expanded.
Under President Yameen, Maldives also amended its constitution to allow foreigners to own land in the archipelago—following which the island of Feydhoo Finholu was taken up on a long-term lease by a Chinese company.
[85] During the 2018 Malaysian general election, then-opposition leader Mahathir Mohamad expressed disapproval of Chinese investment in Malaysia, comparing it to selling off the country to foreigners.
However, in 2017, Sri Lanka experienced a debt distress that was unconnected to Chinese lending but instead resulted more from excessive borrowing from Western-dominated capital markets and poor domestic policy decisions.
Instead of defaulting on their debts, former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa sought out China to lease their port to obtain foreign currency inflows.
[99][100][101] The port's strategic location and subsequent ownership spurred concern over China's growing economic footprint in the Indian Ocean and speculation that it could be used as a naval base.
[107] Chinese media have attributed this to Thailand's zero tax incentives on land use and export products as well as favorable labor costs, and claimed that the zone had created more than 3000 local jobs.
[110] Progress on the high-speed line has stuttered for several years with Thai authorities uneasy over the high interest rates charged by Chinese financing, the track design and even the need for the scheme.
After years of stuttering progress on a 250 km high-speed rail link, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi signed a deal in Bangkok in October 2020.
[114] Argentina will also build a Hualong One nuclear plant that is expected to commence construction in 2022 and be fully operational by 2028 at a cost of US$8 billion, of which 85% financing is provided by Chinese banks.
This paper will analyze these eight projects in terms of interactions with the environment, local community impact, and legal issues (all scores on these indicators are visible in the accompanying scorecard).
