scholarly journals The Belt and Road Initiative: Opportunities and Risks for Africa’s Connectivity

2019 ◽  
Vol 05 (01) ◽  
pp. 117-141
Author(s):  
Nancy Muthoni Githaiga ◽  
Alfred Burimaso ◽  
Bing Wang ◽  
Salum Mohammed Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Data ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Infrastructure Development ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Security Risks ◽  
Product Image ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
Trade Route ◽  
Ancient Silk Road

This article examines the implications of the Chinese-led Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for Africa’s connectivity. The BRI seeks to rebuild the ancient Silk Road trade route with the overall goal of opening global markets, thus creating a trade and investment network involving three continents: Africa, Asia, and Europe. Using secondary data, this article assesses the opportunities and potential challenges of the BRI for Africa with a special focus on various BRI national projects. It concludes that China’s involvement in infrastructure projects in Africa and the BRI’s vision for increased connectivity among beneficiary countries can lead to integrated and streamlined economic and infrastructure development in Africa, while improving China’s corporate and product image, generating mutual benefits to both China and Africa. This article also argues that for those BRI-based benefits to materialize, certain challenges need to be dealt with, particularly security risks and corruption, which could increase the long-term costs of infrastructure projects for countries involved.

scholarly journals Perceptions of Residents in Xinjiang, Urumqi towards Tourism Development through China’s Belt and Road Initiative

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 59
Author(s):  
Grace Suk Ha Chan ◽  
Irini Lai Fung Tang ◽  
Mosa Wenxian Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Economic Globalization ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Infrastructure Development ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
Joint Project ◽  
Descriptive Research ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
World Economic ◽  
Ancient Silk Road ◽  
Depth Interviews

China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) clearly reads as an audacious vision for transforming the political and economic landscapes of Eurasia and Africa over the coming decades via a network of infrastructure partnerships across the energy, telecommunications, logistics, law, Information and Technology, transportation and tourism sectors. The BRI prioritises people-to-people connection. Various countries and cities will benefit from promoting cultural nationalism and local civic identities. The joint project of Belt and Road (B&R) embraces the trend towards a multi-polar world, economic globalization and cultural diversity for upholding global free trade, allocating many resources and deeply integrating marketers. The BRI is a remarkable example of the borderless nature of infrastructure development. This initiative aims to foster economic growth and investment along the ancient Silk Road trading route between Europe and the East. For instance, in Xinjiang, Urumqi, various resources promoting the culture of the area add value to the tourism industry. This study adopted a descriptive research design that encompasses a qualitative approach and addressed the residents’ perception and attitude towards tourism. In-depth interviews with residents were conducted. Recommendations were made for destination marketers and governmental practitioners on how to improve and facilitate tourism industry for Xinjiang, Urumqi. 

The Belt and Road Initiative: Goals and Challenges

2020 ◽  
pp. 167
Author(s):  
Adnan Khalaf i Hammed Al-Badrani ◽  
Hind Ziyad Nafeih
Keyword(s):  
Development Strategy ◽  
Soft Power ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Power Lines ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
Ancient Silk Road ◽  
Main Engine ◽  
The Belt And Road

The Belt and Road Initiative is an initiative to revive the ancient Silk Road, through networks of land and sea roads, oil and gas pipelines, electric power lines, the Internet and airports, to create a model of regional and international cooperation.       It is essentially a long-term development strategy, launched by the Chinese president in 2013 to become the main engine of Chinese domestic policy and foreign diplomacy and within the framework of the soft power strategy, to enhance its position and influence in the world as a peaceful and responsible country.   The study includes identifying the initiative and setting goals for China, as well as the challenges and difficulties that hinder the initiative.

scholarly journals Engineering Procurement Construction in the Context of Belt and Road Infrastructure Projects in West Asia: A SWOT Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 92
Author(s):  
Mohammad Ajmal Nikjow ◽  
Li Liang ◽  
Xijing Qi ◽  
Samad Sepasgozar
Keyword(s):  
Swot Analysis ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Infrastructure Development ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Information Communication ◽  
Complex Environments ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Normative Practice ◽  
Belt And Road

Engineering procurement and construction (EPC) is a normative practice globally approved since China has been engaging in international cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) infrastructure development. EPC has been adopted in the delivery of BRI infrastructure projects in other countries. Compared to the domestic method of contract, EPC remains at a low level in management practice, such as a lack of coordinating diverse project stakeholders, high cost of information communication, and risk in complex environments in West Asia (WA). However, no research has conducted a strategic analysis of the current situation of EPC for BRI infrastructure projects in West Asian countries. This study aims to understand the current status quo of EPC for BRI projects in WA by performing a strength, weakness, opportunity, and threats (SWOT) analysis and with the support of data collected from the literature review and semi-structured interviews with EPC stakeholders. The study brings awareness along which internally and externally circumstances of the EPC for BRI infrastructure projects can be perceived by major stakeholders participating. The four critical strategies presented based on the SWOTs identified could help EPC firms develop and promote EPC to implement BRI infrastructure projects in WA at the strategic level.

scholarly journals Integration Perspectives of Eurasian Land-Based Transport Corridors: Empirical Evidence from the OBOR and Rail Baltica Initiatives

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 3-25
Author(s):  
Anatoli Beifert ◽  
Gunnar Prause ◽  
Yury Shcherbanin
Keyword(s):  
Research Question ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
One Belt One Road ◽  
Strategic Role ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
Silk Route ◽  
Framework Conditions ◽  
The One

Abstract Land-based Trans-Eurasian transport corridors, their current development and perspectives have been high on the political agenda in the last two decades not only in Europe and China but also in the transit countries such as russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. A number of conceptual initiatives are already being implemented. The Belt and road or the one Belt, one road (oBor) initiative on the Chinese side and the rail Baltica project from the European perspective have gained special attention. Big-scale infrastructural projects are also being implemented by transit countries, e.g., the construction of a motorway from China to Europe—from Kazakhstan via russia to Belarus—to facilitate the land-based shortcut for cargo transport within the Eurasian transport corridor. This article investigates the general framework conditions of infrastructural investments into projects related to Eurasian logistics and discusses strategic areas of intersection between the European activities and the new Silk Way. in the framework of the oBor initiative, this article also addresses the interaction of the Chinese–Kazakh–russian–Belarusian –polish railway transport, with a special focus on Belarusian–polish cross-border issues. The authors have participated in several projects focusing on transport corridors and discuss the research question of how different Eurasian land-based transport corridors can be integrated and which strategic role can the rail Baltica project play in the context of the new Silk route. The research is based on surveys, expert interviews, secondary data research and case studies.

scholarly journals Belt and Road Initiative: Five Years on Implementation and Reflection

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Biliang Hu
Keyword(s):  
Infrastructure Development ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
Agenda 2030 ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
World Economic ◽  
Common Interests ◽  
The Common ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The Belt And Road ◽  
World Development

This article summarizes the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which was carried out 5 years ago. To date the basic institutional framework has been set up, some key infrastructural projects launched; joint development zones established and supporting systems have been set up to ensure the smooth infrastructure development of BRI. This article also explains the important factors why China proposed and implemented the initiative: accelerating world economic growth particularly for the developing countries, promoting economic globalization, improving global governance, and supporting UN Agenda 2030 for sustainable development. Based on the 5 years’ experience of the Belt and Road implementation, the initiative reflects correctly the mega trend of world development and global cooperation, as well as the common interests of China and other relevant participating countries. A promising future for the initiative is most likely; however, careful feasibility study for investments is required to manage debt risk well for both the investors and the receivers of the investments.

scholarly journals The Impact of Energy Cooperation and the Role of the One Belt and Road Initiative in Revolutionizing the Geopolitics of Energy among Regional Economic Powers: An Analysis of Infrastructure Development and Project Management

Complexity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Wu Hao ◽  
Syed Mehmood Ali Shah ◽  
Ahsan Nawaz ◽  
Ali Asad ◽  
Shahid Iqbal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Development Strategy ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Infrastructure Development ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
Energy Cooperation ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
The Impact

This paper examines how the latest mega plan and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will impact the geopolitics of energy and infrastructural development. With a massive change in the supply and demand of global energy and its infrastructure, the transition of international energy order is in the making. While the US is going towards a more isolationist path from its traditional superpower role, there are rising economies such as China, India, Japan, and Russia which are undoubtedly playing a vital role in the geopolitical stage and the other development endeavors. Several regions such as Central Asia, the Arctic, Eastern Mediterranean, and the South China Sea are offering substantial natural gas and oil reserves and drawing global attention to develop energy cooperation. This situation is profoundly influencing the transition of energy order. In this transition, BRI is supposed to play an important role. As a mega development strategy with a robust geostrategic dimension, it purposes to advocate interconnectivity collaboration in framework, exchange, and advancement among the partaking nations. This super arrangement offers a lot of ventures, foundation developments, and modern reconciliation in the energy sector. The country is trying to establish a multilateral platform for endorsing and shielding energy cooperation under BRI. This paper, therefore, attempts to observe how this mega plan will contribute to reshaping the existing energy order as well as the geopolitics of energy with motivation on multifaceted energy collaboration.

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