In "Do Belt and Road Projects provide local benefits?” Dirk van der Kley addresses one of the most persistent, but misinformed, views of the BRI: that (only or mostly) Chinese workers are involved in BRI projects, and that locals barely benefit from the job potential that BRI projects bring. Van der Kley argues that this view is outdated and inaccurate, the BRI has become “much more localised”.
There are numerous reasons for localising BRI projects’ workforces: lower wages, but also societal or government pressure. Another reason is also the nature of BRI, no longer are only large-scale infrastructure projects part of the Initiative.
Van der Kley points out a crucial point that BRI sceptics (such as perhaps US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken) forget: BRI projects (mostly) provide emerging economies with what they want, whether that is jobs, exports, revenue or expertise. Adjusting to local (economic and political) demands will not always be easy for the Chinese firms involved, but it is crucial to projects’ success, which is why “China and Chinese firms are listening to local requests”.
Vera Kranenburg
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