The “green” and “digital” themes have emerged as key focus areas in the new phase of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) development. A report by Xinhua Institute highlights the ongoing cooperation in green infrastructure, green energy, and green transportation. In Uganda, the Karuma Hydropower Station began full operation in early 2024.
It generates an average of 4 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, saving around 1.31 million tonnes of raw coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 3.48 million tonnes each year. The project is expected to lower Uganda’s electricity prices by 17.5 percent. The Digital Silk Road is experiencing rapid growth in digital service trade and e-commerce.
In the first half of 2024, China’s digitally deliverable services imports and exports reached 1.42 trillion yuan (about 200.5 billion U.S. dollars), and cross-border e-commerce imports and exports totaled 1.22 trillion yuan — both hitting historic highs. As China continues to expand its high-level opening up, the digital economy is expected to become a key driver of growth and a major source of momentum for the BRI. The construction of the Digital Silk Road will promote comprehensive cooperation and exchanges between countries and regions, effectively narrowing the “digital divide” and enabling BRI partner countries to share the benefits of digital technology.
A think tank report on the “eight major steps” proposed by China to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation emphasizes consolidating practical cooperation, fostering innovation-driven growth, strengthening risk management, and improving cooperation mechanisms. The report calls on BRI partner countries to remain vigilant against systemic negative propaganda promoted by certain countries that label the BRI as a “debt trap,” “neocolonialism,” or a form of “systemic export,” aiming to undermine the initiative’s image. There are growing concerns about the impact of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) on participating countries.
Uganda’s green and digital advancements
Italy, which signed an agreement with the BRI in March 2018, withdrew from the initiative in January 2024, just three months before the agreement was set to end. Greece, another critical node in the BRI, officially became the first European country to join the initiative in August 2018.
The critical question remains: what benefits does Greece derive from the BRI, and should it consider following Italy’s example in withdrawing? Countries like Pakistan, Djibouti, and Montenegro, which have become significantly involved in the BRI, have faced economic challenges, including the risk of bankruptcy due to the substantial commitments required by the initiative. The Hambantota port in Sri Lanka and a highway in Montenegro are examples of Chinese investments that have led to significant economic repercussions, creating dependencies that Beijing can exploit for economic and political concessions.
The Democracy Index 2023 reports a notable decline in democratic standards in many BRI-participating countries. Over 40% of the 44 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and significant parts of the Middle East and North Africa saw a drop in their democracy scores. Pakistan, which has actively developed its economic corridor with China, saw a downgrade from a “hybrid regime” to an “authoritarian regime.
While the BRI succeeds in expanding China’s economic influence and access to new markets, it also raises serious concerns about governance, democracy, and human rights in the participant nations.
The spread of Chinese practices such as enhanced surveillance, censorship, and authoritarian control poses significant challenges to political freedoms and international human rights standards. Through the BRI, China aims to overcome internal economic challenges by leveraging external sources of growth and establishing itself as a global leader. The broader implications of the BRI suggest a strategic effort by China to assume a dominant global position, with both economic and political ramifications for participating countries.
As more nations adopt Chinese authoritarian practices, the international community must critically assess the long-term impacts on governance and human rights.
