QU’EST-CE QUE L’initiative La Ceinture et la Route’ ?

The document analyzes the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as a strategic tool for China to export industrial overcapacity and expand global influence. It highlights a systemic lack of transparency, the dominance of state-owned enterprises, and significant environmental risks, particularly through the financing of coal and hydropower projects. While China promotes a 'Green BRI' and 'ecological civilization,' the report argues that actual implementation often lacks rigorous safeguards, leading to 'debt traps' and biodiversity loss. It calls for international civil society to push for binding treaties on multinationals and the adoption of higher environmental and social standards.

• The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a comprehensive economic cooperation framework aimed at improving global connectivity through six land corridors and several maritime hubs, with estimated investments ranging from 460 billion USD to 2 trillion USD.
• A primary driver of the BRI is the 'International Capacity Cooperation' (ICC), which China uses to export industrial overcapacity in 12 key sectors, including steel, cement, and aluminum, to avoid domestic economic stagnation.
• Despite promoting 'green' finance, a significant majority of energy loans from major Chinese public banks are directed toward fossil fuels. Between 2014 and 2017, 91% of syndicated loans for energy from six large public banks went to fossil fuels.
• China has provided funding for 102 GW of coal-fired power plants globally, with Bangladesh receiving the most significant portion, totaling over 7 billion USD for 14 GW of capacity.
• The BRI is characterized by a lack of multilateral decision-making and transparency; most projects are negotiated bilaterally, often bypassing local consultations and environmental impact assessments.
• The initiative is criticized for creating 'debt traps,' where countries may face default and be forced to cede control of strategic assets, such as ports in Sri Lanka or gold mines in Tajikistan, to China.
• The Global Energy Interconnection (GEI) is presented as a solution for renewable energy but is accused of being used to export coal-generated power, such as from the 5.5 GW Shivee-Owoo plant in Mongolia.
• State-owned enterprises (SOEs) dominate the BRI, often operating without competitive bidding, which leads to inflated costs and lower quality, as seen in the suspension of the 20 billion USD East Coastal Rail Link in Malaysia.
• The report identifies severe threats to biodiversity and freshwater ecosystems, citing projects like the Myitsone dam in Myanmar and transport corridors in Eastern Russia that endanger tigers and leopards.

APA

Simonov, E., & Withanage, H. (n.d.). QU’EST-CE QUE L’initiative La Ceinture et la Route’ ? Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/foe-belt-and-road-briefing-FR-WEB.pdf

Chicago

Simonov, Eugene, and Hemantha Withanage. QU’EST-CE QUE L’initiative La Ceinture et la Route’ ? Friends of the Earth International, n.d. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/foe-belt-and-road-briefing-FR-WEB.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Simonov |first1=Eugene |last2=Withanage |first2=Hemantha |title=QU’EST-CE QUE L’initiative La Ceinture et la Route’ ? |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/foe-belt-and-road-briefing-FR-WEB.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{simonovndquestce, author = {Simonov, Eugene and Withanage, Hemantha}, title = {{QU’EST-CE QUE L’initiative La Ceinture et la Route’ ?}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/foe-belt-and-road-briefing-FR-WEB.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }