A research fellow at a leading Beijing think tank says while the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic has put a dent in the effectiveness of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the massive infrastructure development project is continuing to move with the times, and has already proven to be a ‘paradigm shift’ in global development.

Zoon Ahmed Khan from the Centre for China and Globalisation told RTHK that the initiative – launched a decade ago to strengthen global infrastructure development and international cooperation with Beijing – has so far created some half a million jobs worldwide while galvanising more than US$1 trillion of investment in various projects and boosting scientific and technological exchanges between China and its partners.

She said the scheme’s strength lies in its recognition of the agency of developing countries.

“I think what the Belt and Road is essentially trying to achieve is a reality which is less polarised and in which countries are able to focus on their domestic development in a way that they’re better connected with the region,” Khan said.

The BRI, she said, helps partners achieve the conditions to improve the quality of their infrastructure on their own terms, and many lessons have been learned along the way.

"It has definitely been a learning curve. I think many countries have reflected on, over these years, what kind of investments are more beneficial and required, and this is something that will be ongoing,” she said.

Khan, who's also a research fellow of the Belt and Road Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, acknowledged that the effects of Covid-19 have proven to be a setback – as countries struggled to make optimal use of the investments made, and thus affect their ability to repay debts to Beijing.

But she said there’s a constant process of reflection and dialogue between China and its partners to maximise the benefits of BRI projects, and ensure they can be used productively.

“We are receptive to the changes that are happening in the world and in the country. We are also receptive to be inclusive of newer technologies,” she said.

“So for instance, we saw that now, a lot of Belt and Road projects are prioritising greener development, greener technology. This process of dialogue is very important.”