Exploring the role of the belt and road initiative in promoting sustainable and inclusive development

Abstract

Sustainable and inclusive development aims to achieve long‐term economic growth while ensuring environmental and social sustainability. This study investigates the significance of the Belt and Road Initiative (B&R) in promoting sustainable and inclusive development in Chinese provinces along its route, considering it a quasi‐natural experiment. To assess the effects, we construct an index system that captures critical dimensions of sustainable and inclusive development. The results reveal that the B&R has positively influenced sustainable and inclusive development in the Chinese provinces along the route. This impact is facilitated through transmission mechanisms such as technological innovation and upgrading industrial structures. However, variations exist between provinces along the Silk Road Economic Belt and those along the Maritime Silk Road, with the former experiencing more pronounced effects. These findings provide a valuable foundation for the government to leverage the B&R and develop comprehensive sustainable, and inclusive development strategies. Furthermore, this study offers insights into promoting high‐quality development in an open economy context.

Does digital village construction contribute to improving food security?

“…The first law of geography states that everything is connected, and the closer the spatial proximity is, the stronger the connection (Tobler, 1970). Many studies have also pointed out that the economic and production activities of a region are often inseparable from neighboring regions (Zhu et al, 2023;Chen et al, 2023;Zhu et al, 2022). Therefore, the food security in a region is largely influenced by the level of food security in neighboring regions.…”

Digitalization and Dependence: Evaluating the Impact of the Belt and Road Initiative on Achieving Sustainable Development Goals 8 and 9 and Shaping Digital Autonomy

“…The "Belt and Road Initiative" (BRI) is a global development strategy aimed at promoting international cooperation and economic growth through the construction of large-scale infrastructure and extensive trade networks (Zhu, H., 2023;Wang, R., 2023). The BRI plays a particularly important role in advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 8 and 9 .…”

The Spatial Correlation Network of China’s High-Quality Development and Its Driving Factors

“…Additionally, the establishment of a social security system serves as a means of income redistribution and hence leads to inclusive development as a direct result. To illustrate, the social security system is represented by "basic endowment insurance", "unemployment insurance", and "basic medical insurance" [43]. To further examine the regional distribution of high-quality development, this study utilized ArcGIS 10.8 software to create regional maps of high-quality development in China for the years 2006 and 2020.…”