IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/joibpo/v4y2021i1d10.1057_s42214-020-00082-6.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Dynamic synergies between China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals

Author

Listed:
  • Donald J. Lewis

    (China University Political Science and Law
    University of San Francisco)

  • Xiaohua Yang

    (University of San Francisco)

  • Diana Moise

    (Debevoise & Plimpton LLP)

  • Stephen John Roddy

    (University of San Francisco)

Abstract

This study examines the dynamic evolving synergies between the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This is among the first studies to present an in-depth comparative treatment and evaluation of these monumental change-oriented undertakings in terms of their interlinks, complementarities, and synergistic potential to mobilize and transform public policy and managerial decision-making in the pursuit of sustainable development. In our study, we identify BRI focus areas, goals, and modalities and explore their manifold interactions with the 17 SDGs, including by reference to dozens of recent BRI and AIIB projects. Our findings strongly suggest ongoing alignment and convergence between the SDGs and BRI, as exemplified by the recent overt inclusion of BRI within the UN’s 2030 Agenda. However, realization of such promising synergies hinges on several variables, including the geopolitical and public health environments, the adoption of more holistic trade and investment strategies, and greater openness and inclusiveness towards non-Chinese and local businesses, particularly regarding their participation in BRI sustainable infrastructure investment projects. Public policy efforts will be essential to steer BRI in more open, liberal, and integrative directions so that BRI can function optimally as an effective vehicle for achievement of the SDGs.

Suggested Citation

  • Donald J. Lewis & Xiaohua Yang & Diana Moise & Stephen John Roddy, 2021. "Dynamic synergies between China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 4(1), pages 58-79, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:joibpo:v:4:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1057_s42214-020-00082-6
    DOI: 10.1057/s42214-020-00082-6
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s42214-020-00082-6
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s42214-020-00082-6?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Shujiro Urata, 1993. "Japanese Foreign Direct Investment and Its Effect on Foreign Trade in Asia," NBER Chapters, in: Trade and Protectionism, pages 273-304, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Doh, Jonathan & Husted, Bryan W. & Yang, Xiaohua, 2016. "Guest Editors’ Introduction: Ethics, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Developing Country Multinationals," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 26(3), pages 301-315, July.
    3. Jan Anton van Zanten & Rob van Tulder, 2018. "Multinational enterprises and the Sustainable Development Goals: An institutional approach to corporate engagement," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 1(3), pages 208-233, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Rob Van Tulder & Suzana B. Rodrigues & Hafiz Mirza & Kathleen Sexsmith, 2021. "The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals: Can multinational enterprises lead the Decade of Action?," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 4(1), pages 1-21, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Eduardo Ordonez‐Ponce & David Talbot, 2023. "Multinational enterprises' sustainability practices and focus on developing countries: Contributions and unexpected results of SDG implementation," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 35(2), pages 201-232, March.
    2. Rekha Rao-Nicholson & Htwe Htwe Thein & Yifan Zhong, 2024. "A thematic analysis of the links between multinational enterprises’ corporate social responsibility and the Sustainable Development Goals in Myanmar," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 7(2), pages 203-223, June.
    3. Anita Fajczak-Kowalska & Anna Misztal & Magdalena Kowalska, 2021. "Energy, Pollution, and Transport Taxes as Instruments of Sustainable Development of Manufacturing Enterprises in Emerging Economies in the European Union," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(2B), pages 724-742.
    4. Sara Trucco & Maria Chiara Demartini & Valentina Beretta, 2021. "The reporting of sustainable development goals: is the integrated approach the missing link?," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 1(2), pages 1-13, February.
    5. Lee, In Hyeock (Ian) & Hong, Eunsuk & Makino, Shige, 2020. "The effect of non-conventional outbound foreign direct investment (FDI) on the domestic employment of multinational enterprises (MNEs)," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(3).
    6. Bu, Maoliang & Xu, Liang & Tang, Ryan W., 2023. "MNEs’ transfer of socially irresponsible practices: A replication with new extensions," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(2).
    7. Chiara Mio & Silvia Panfilo & Benedetta Blundo, 2020. "Sustainable development goals and the strategic role of business: A systematic literature review," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(8), pages 3220-3245, December.
    8. Na Yang & Jue Wang & Xiaming Liu & Lingyun Huang, 2022. "Home-country institutions and corporate social responsibility of emerging economy multinational enterprises: The belt and road initiative as an example," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 39(3), pages 927-965, September.
    9. Jacob D Rendtorff, 2019. "Sustainable Development Goals and progressive business models for economic transformation," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 34(6), pages 510-524, September.
    10. Pei Sun & Jonathan P. Doh & Tazeeb Rajwani & Donald Siegel, 2021. "Navigating cross-border institutional complexity: A review and assessment of multinational nonmarket strategy research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(9), pages 1818-1853, December.
    11. Luis Fonseca & Vitor Silva & José Carlos Sá & Vanda Lima & Gilberto Santos & Rui Silva, 2022. "B Corp versus ISO 9001 and 14001 certifications: Aligned, or alternative paths, towards sustainable development?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(3), pages 496-508, May.
    12. Sarah Cechvala & Brian Ganson, 2024. "Systems Perspectives on Business and Peace: The Contingent Nature of Business-Related Action with Respect to Peace Positive Impacts," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 194(3), pages 523-544, October.
    13. Runhui Lin & Yuan Gui & Zaiyang Xie & Lu Liu, 2019. "Green Governance and International Business Strategies of Emerging Economies’ Multinational Enterprises: A Multiple-Case Study of Chinese Firms in Pollution-Intensive Industries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-32, February.
    14. Paola Perez-Aleman & Tommaso Ferretti, 2023. "Creating innovation capabilities for improving global health: Inventing technology for neglected tropical diseases in Brazil," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 6(1), pages 84-114, March.
    15. Jan Anton van Zanten & Rob van Tulder, 2020. "Beyond COVID-19: Applying “SDG logics” for resilient transformations," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 3(4), pages 451-464, December.
    16. Rozenn Perrigot & Komlanvi Elom Gbetchi, 2023. "Social franchise chains operating in African countries: are their social goals aligned with the 2030 United Nations sustainable development goals?," Post-Print hal-03715585, HAL.
    17. Olivier E. Malay, 2021. "How to Articulate Beyond GDP and Businesses’ Social and Environmental Indicators?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 155(1), pages 1-25, May.
    18. Marika Arena & Giovanni Azzone & Sara Ratti & Valeria Maria Urbano & Giovanni Vecchio, 2023. "Sustainable development goals and corporate reporting: An empirical investigation of the oil and gas industry," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(1), pages 12-25, February.
    19. Khoa T. Tran & Phuong V. Nguyen, 2020. "Corporate Social Responsibility: Findings from the Vietnamese Paint Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-20, February.
    20. Reyes-Menendez, Ana & Clemente-Mediavilla, Jorge & Villagra, Nuria, 2023. "Understanding STI and SDG with artificial intelligence: A review and research agenda for entrepreneurial action," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:joibpo:v:4:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1057_s42214-020-00082-6. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.palgrave.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.