China in the third-country market in the field of energy and environment has
excellent potential in constructing a regional low-carbon society across borders.
Therefore, we propose a “market principle + sharing of economic and environmental
benefits + risk-sharing” method as a trilateral market cooperation method. The
characteristics of this method are also consistent with the community spirit of
sharing benefits and risks.
20.1 The Belt and Road Initiative and Third-Country
Market Cooperation
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a global development strategy adopted by
China in 2013. It promotes the orderly free flow of economic factors, efficient
allocation of resources, and deep market integration, facilitates coordination of
economic policies within the BRI, and creates joint openness through encouraging
deeper regional cooperation. The concept aims to create a framework for regional
economic cooperation that is comprehensive, balanced, and reciprocal and protects
free trade and an open global economy. The goal of the BRI is to support the
achievement of sustainable global development; the theoretical basis supporting
the BRI is sustainability science. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
formulated by the United Nations and the BRI may provide opportunities for growth
of the global economy, which will require active input and support from China. BRI
construction is an extraordinary approach to achieve the SDGs.
At present, there are 131 countries of the Belt and Road and 187 signed cooperation agreements under the BRI. Projects have started in several countries, such as
Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Bangladesh. Belt and Road countries cover Southeast
Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Central and Eastern Europe
across which there are large economic, technical, and policy disparities. According
to the per capita annual income standard of the World Bank, 8% (5 countries) are
low-income countries (less than 995 USD), 28% (18 countries) are low-middleincome countries (996–3895 USD), 35% (23 countries) are high-middle-income
countries (3896–12,055 USD), and 29% (19 countries) are high-income countries
(more than 12,055 USD). Belt and Road countries face economic development
problems (i.e., poverty), regional environmental problems (i.e., air, water, and soil
pollution, and waste treatment), and global environmental problems (i.e., climate
change, loss of biodiversity, desertification, ozone depletion, and cross-border
pollution). As countries of the Belt and Road are simultaneously facing domestic
and international and short-term and long-term sustainable development challenges,
there is great potential for bilateral and multilateral cooperation (third-country
market cooperation), despite economic, technical, and social disparities among
countries. The BRI is necessary for large-scale reform and the opening up of
China and also provides an important platform for countries of the Belt and Road
to solve various domestic issues and global sustainable development issues through
international cooperation.
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Y. Ling et al.
excellent potential in constructing a regional low-carbon society across borders.
Therefore, we propose a “market principle + sharing of economic and environmental
benefits + risk-sharing” method as a trilateral market cooperation method. The
characteristics of this method are also consistent with the community spirit of
sharing benefits and risks.
20.1 The Belt and Road Initiative and Third-Country
Market Cooperation
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a global development strategy adopted by
China in 2013. It promotes the orderly free flow of economic factors, efficient
allocation of resources, and deep market integration, facilitates coordination of
economic policies within the BRI, and creates joint openness through encouraging
deeper regional cooperation. The concept aims to create a framework for regional
economic cooperation that is comprehensive, balanced, and reciprocal and protects
free trade and an open global economy. The goal of the BRI is to support the
achievement of sustainable global development; the theoretical basis supporting
the BRI is sustainability science. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
formulated by the United Nations and the BRI may provide opportunities for growth
of the global economy, which will require active input and support from China. BRI
construction is an extraordinary approach to achieve the SDGs.
At present, there are 131 countries of the Belt and Road and 187 signed cooperation agreements under the BRI. Projects have started in several countries, such as
Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Bangladesh. Belt and Road countries cover Southeast
Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Central and Eastern Europe
across which there are large economic, technical, and policy disparities. According
to the per capita annual income standard of the World Bank, 8% (5 countries) are
low-income countries (less than 995 USD), 28% (18 countries) are low-middleincome countries (996–3895 USD), 35% (23 countries) are high-middle-income
countries (3896–12,055 USD), and 29% (19 countries) are high-income countries
(more than 12,055 USD). Belt and Road countries face economic development
problems (i.e., poverty), regional environmental problems (i.e., air, water, and soil
pollution, and waste treatment), and global environmental problems (i.e., climate
change, loss of biodiversity, desertification, ozone depletion, and cross-border
pollution). As countries of the Belt and Road are simultaneously facing domestic
and international and short-term and long-term sustainable development challenges,
there is great potential for bilateral and multilateral cooperation (third-country
market cooperation), despite economic, technical, and social disparities among
countries. The BRI is necessary for large-scale reform and the opening up of
China and also provides an important platform for countries of the Belt and Road
to solve various domestic issues and global sustainable development issues through
international cooperation.
362
Y. Ling et al.