The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) continues to evolve. Its participants are increasingly looking to meet the trends of the future. Affordable projects, embracing modern technologies and methods, as well the “open, green and clean” approach of BRI 2.0, will often be those that stand the greatest chance of success – a point underlined by China’s recently announced target for carbon neutrality and President Xi Jinping’s call for a green recovery of the world economy.

But how are the unprecedented difficulties of 2020, including the global pandemic and trade disputes, affecting the prospects of BRI?

Welcome to the first of a series of reports that assess the challenges for BRI and the steps that BRI participants can take to achieve both success for themselves and a positive future for BRI. This report is intended primarily for a Chinese readership and is therefore available in both English and Chinese.

The report examines:

• Why Chinese participants in BRI are more generally positive about it than non-Chinese participants, and how this may be resolved.
• The effects of Covid-19 on BRI, and new enthusiasm for the Health Silk Road.
• How to mitigate BRI risk and manage disputes.
• Potential trends in the financing of BRI projects.
• The impact of BRI 2.0.