Eight transformation factors for driving B&R Initiative towards sustainability and shared prosperity

Dr. Thorsten Jelinek, Europe Director at the Taihe Institute, proposes eight transformation factors that have the potential to provide high-level stewardship to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) : (1) shared vision, (2) multilateralism, (3) project preparation facility, (4) risk mitigation, (5) sustainable development, (6) innovation, (7) cultural exchange, and (8) human-centric and future-ready infrastructure.

He notes that China is willing to share its immense financial and industrial resources and capabilities as well as its four decades of experience with reform and opening-up, and the eight transformation factors can help to revive the spirit of “international corporation” and “shared development.”

The BRI has been introduced by the Chinese government to prompt a profound shift in the global order towards a new multilateralism.

As a key result of the 19th CPC National Congress, which took place from 18–24 October, the BRI has become a core guideline of how China wants to rule itself in relation to its close and distant neighbors.

Statistics released by the Ministry of Commerce showed that Chinese businesses directly invested 9.6 billion U.S. dollars in countries along the Belt and Road.