China’s Belt and Road projects lack transparency, say European firms

A lack of information and transparency are top barriers for European companies seeking involvement in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, according to a survey published Thursday by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China.

Only 20 out of 132 firms polled said they have bid for projects related to the BRI, a massive global network of ports, railways, roads and industrial parks spanning Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

The BRI — Chinese President Xi Jinping’s signature foreign policy initiative — has also faced criticism for swaddling poor nations with crippling debt and for being too opaque.

A lack of information on deals and “non-transparent” procurement systems were the biggest barriers identified by European firms in the survey.