"How Has China’s Belt and Road Initiative Impacted Southeast Asian Countries?" 5 December 2023

...scholars from eight Southeast Asian countries provide their takes on the impact of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in their countries...

Thailand (Pongphisoot Busbarat): The scope of BRI projects is vast... However, there have been persistent concerns in Thailand about the financial viability of some BRI projects... "Environmental concerns also accompany large infrastructure projects like high-speed railways...

Philippines (Alvin Camba): BRI projects depend on the political calculus of the administration in power... BRI projects have benefited a select number of Philippine government-sponsored elites... The BRI has also indirectly funneled so-called illicit Chinese capital in the Philippines...

Indonesia (Fadhila Inas Pratiwi): Chinese investments have the potential to bolster Indonesia’s economic growth... Social issues are hindering the BRI implementation... but there are several areas that require improvement, including transparency, accountability, and risk management...

Cambodia (Sovinda Po): The BRI projects have focused on all types of infrastructure such as highway, roads, and bridges...BRI has also promoted the transnational transfer of money between China and Cambodia with the use of QR code technology...Moving forward, BRI projects in Cambodia need to take local voices into consideration...

Vietnam (Hoàng Đỗ): There are a few BRI projects in Vietnam... Officially, Vietnam welcomes BRI, with high-level leaders highlighting its potential... there are potential social issues such as environmental damage related to nonrenewable power plants, labor safety issues, and China’s possession of local assets...

Laos (Bouadam Sengkhamkhoutlavong): The first BRI infrastructure project, the Lao PDR–China Railway (LCR), began in 2016 and was completed in 2021... The project is generating both direct and indirect benefits not only for Laos and China, but also for neighboring countries...

Malaysia (Tham Siew Yean): Human resource development from employee training is perceived to be the main contribution from seven case studies of BRI projects...But there were also concerns over land rights, regulatory frameworks for joint ventures, labor rights and employment practices, public consultation, transparency and communication, community investment, as well as language and cultural issues...

Myanmar (Moe Thuzar): China’s BRI projects in Myanmar focus on hydropower, cross-border industrial zones, and connectivity... The BRI trajectory in Myanmar remains intertwined with the country’s political landscape...