By LuoYuze, Research Team on “Study on the Belt and Road Infrastructure Connectivity”, DRC

Research Report No. 56, 2017 (Total 5131) 2017-5-10

Abstract: It is of great importance to smoothly promote the infrastructure construction and connectivity relating to the Belt and Road Initiative. In light of the infrastructure facilities relating to railway, highway, port, electric power, telecommunications and energy pipelines, the research team of DRC made an assessment on the demand of construction funds and studied the cooperation mechanism and implementation measures, focusing on regional economic cooperation, investment and financing support and the capability of participating entities. The research findings show that the key to solving the issue of investment and financing in infrastructure connectivity is to improve the project construction and operation environment, flesh out the relevant mechanisms, reduce the project risks, promote the utilization rate of facilities and increase the profitability of projects. Countries and regions along the Belt and Road routes need to strengthen consultations, and establish a coordination committee on infrastructure connectivity relating to the Initiative. The committee would include a secretariat and four functional groups, in charge of promoting the planning, cooperation and construction of investment and financing mechanism. It is hoped that such a mechanism could make timely evaluation and consultation on relevant work, provide cooperation for the infrastructure connectivity construction, bring together people’s consensus on the significance of the Initiative and enhance their confidence to face up and overcome the obstacles and difficulties in pushing ahead with the Initiative.

Key words: the Belt and Road Initiative, infrastructure connectivity, mechanism construction