The roles and strategies of ASEAN in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)

Abstract

Under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China focuses on the ASEAN as part of land bridge connecting China to Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean, and the China-Indochina Peninsula Corridor sea route that is the comprehensive sea route between China, South China Sea, Indian Ocean, and Europe. On the other hand, ASEAN member nations regard the BRI as an avenue to improve connectivity with their poor infrastructure development which will generate trade and investment increase in the region particularly through improved logistics. Accordingly, ASEAN member nations are keen to develop their infrastructure projects in collaboration with Chinese companies and funding agencies mainly in the forms of joint venture. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) estimates that the total infrastructure investment needs in the ASEAN from 2016 to 2030 will be between USD 2.8 trillion with baseline estimate to USD 3.1 trillion with climate adjusted estimate. This paper aims to argue how China and the ASEAN can be interacted by the BRI and what are impacts of the BRI on the region. Furthermore, it analyzes which roles do the BRI play in building the region between China and the ASEAN member nations. Last, but not least, it also focuses on Chinese national strategy how to implement the BRI in the region. Received: 25 August 2021Accepted: 18 November 2021