China’s Belt and Road Initiative in ASEAN: Growing Presence, Recent Progress and Future Challenge
Based on:
Book (2022)
The book offers us an overview about the impact China’s Belt and Road Initiatives projects have had on the ASEAN region by analysing the global context of the Belt and Road Initiatives, the impact it has had on connectivity, and the major challenges that come along with it.
Brief by:
Research collaborators:
Content
The aim of this book was to provide a regional perspective on the developments apart from the common Chinese- and American-led research. It gives a voice to local scholars on the impact the Belt and Road Initiative has had on their respective home countries. The concrete, practical significance of the Belt and Road Initiatives for both China and ASEAN countries will be looked into, and the need for ASEAN governments to have more agency in determining the conditions of the implementation of Belt and Road Initiatives projects will be demonstrated.
Key findings
China’s Belt-and-Road-Initiative-related investments and construction contracts differ greatly in their nature and scale.
Today, Indonesia is the most popular location for investments, then Singapore and Malaysia, followed by Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Thailand, the Philippines, Myanmar and Brunei are yet to be less focused on.
Generally, ASEAN economies form - from China’s perspective - the ideal terrain for investments and SOEs given the wide range of sectors to be covered, the proximity to South China and opportunities as well as demand for development and connectivity.
Overall, ASEAN is the region in which China can embrace the Belt and Road Initiatives as the third phase of China’s reform and opening-up policy, rationalisation and outward orientation striving to reorientate the global supply-chains especially given tensions with the US.
China can be criticised regarding the disrespect of mutual trust in terms of adherence to the principles of equality and mutual benefit, the disrespect of non-interference in ASEAN internal affairs and not determining fair conditions when making foreign investments.
Therefore, one can observe that Belt and Road Initiatives projects, despite encouraging connectivity in the ASEAN region, do oftentimes fail to respond to the needs of the locals.
Proposed action
This book serves as an urgent appeal to all policy makers in the ASEAN region to reposition themselves
More clarity about ASEAN’s goals in connectivity projects and pro-activity when determining the conditions of projects is needed instead of sending solely signals of open and blind assistance to China
Since the pandemic made the attention of policy makers shift to other issues such as health, inflation etc
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China’s Belt and Road Initiative in ASEAN: Growing Presence, Recent Progress and Future Challenge
Cite this brief: Chirathivat, Suthiphand. 'China’s Belt and Road Initiative in ASEAN: Growing Presence, Recent Progress and Future Challenge'. Acume. https://www.acume.org/r/chinas-belt-and-road-initiative-in-asean/
Brief created by: Professor Suthiphand Chirathivat | Year brief made: 2022
Original research:
- B. R., Chirathivat, S., & A. D., China’s Belt and Road Initiative in ASEAN: Growing Presence, Recent Progress and Future Challenge Singapore: https://doi.org/10.1142/12396. – https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/12396#t=aboutBook
Research brief:
The book offers us an overview about the impact China’s Belt and Road Initiatives projects have had on the ASEAN region by analysing the global context of the Belt and Road Initiatives, the impact it has had on connectivity, and the major challenges that come along with it.
The aim of this book was to provide a regional perspective on the developments apart from the common Chinese- and American-led research. It gives a voice to local scholars on the impact the Belt and Road Initiative has had on their respective home countries. The concrete, practical significance of the Belt and Road Initiatives for both China and ASEAN countries will be looked into, and the need for ASEAN governments to have more agency in determining the conditions of the implementation of Belt and Road Initiatives projects will be demonstrated.
Findings:
China’s Belt-and-Road-Initiative-related investments and construction contracts differ greatly in their nature and scale.
Today, Indonesia is the most popular location for investments, then Singapore and Malaysia, followed by Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Thailand, the Philippines, Myanmar and Brunei are yet to be less focused on.
Generally, ASEAN economies form – from China’s perspective – the ideal terrain for investments and SOEs given the wide range of sectors to be covered, the proximity to South China and opportunities as well as demand for development and connectivity.
Overall, ASEAN is the region in which China can embrace the Belt and Road Initiatives as the third phase of China’s reform and opening-up policy, rationalisation and outward orientation striving to reorientate the global supply-chains especially given tensions with the US.
China can be criticised regarding the disrespect of mutual trust in terms of adherence to the principles of equality and mutual benefit, the disrespect of non-interference in ASEAN internal affairs and not determining fair conditions when making foreign investments.
Therefore, one can observe that Belt and Road Initiatives projects, despite encouraging connectivity in the ASEAN region, do oftentimes fail to respond to the needs of the locals.
Advice:
This book serves as an urgent appeal to all policy makers in the ASEAN region to reposition themselves
- The new response of ASEAN requires collaboration between ASEAN leaders at the top level and asks for an in-depth interaction with China as an actor at a policy level.
More clarity about ASEAN’s goals in connectivity projects and pro-activity when determining the conditions of projects is needed instead of sending solely signals of open and blind assistance to China
Since the pandemic made the attention of policy makers shift to other issues such as health, inflation etc
- , our findings should serve as a demonstration of the need not to neglect the multidimensional impact the Belt and Road Initiative has regionally as well as globally, ranging from environmental to generational questions.