1. Introduction

**Translation:**

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has embodied the concept of green development since its inception. President Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of ecological and environmental protection when proposing the initiative in 2013. China has taken firm steps to advance BRI’s green development—from identifying "building a green Silk Road" as a key cooperation priority in 2015, to launching the "Green Silk Road" initiative in 2016, and subsequently issuing two dedicated policy documents. Today, the Green BRI has evolved into a specialized domain with a comprehensive policy framework. The Chinese government regards promoting BRI’s green development as a major measure to address climate change and safeguard global ecological security, as well as a vital platform for high-quality BRI cooperation and the realization of a shared future for humanity and nature.

As the BRI marks its 10th anniversary, it is imperative to review the achievements of Green BRI construction, paving the way for China’s new journey as a key participant, contributor, and leader in global ecological civilization. Domestic academic research has extensively examined the accomplishments and prospects of Green BRI development, categorizing findings into theoretical and practical dimensions. While studies generally express cautious optimism about its future, they also acknowledge challenges such as institutional gaps, insufficient experience, and恶性external competition. Amidst today’s turbulent global landscape, whether the Green BRI can leverage its inherent strengths to achieve its goals remains subject to careful assessment.

This paper adopts a macro-strategic perspective to retrospectively examine the Green BRI’s decade-long progress, summarizing its achievements and lessons, analyzing risks and challenges, and envisioning its role and prospects in advancing a shared future for humanity and nature.

*(Note: The term "恶性" was translated as "malicious" but may alternatively be rendered as "unfair" or "cutthroat" depending on context.)*

2. Achievements in Building a Green "Belt and Road"

The achievements in building a green Belt and Road are remarkable, driving the upgrading and transformation of cooperation mechanisms, adapting to global green development needs, solidifying the foundation for collaborative consensus, and promoting practical cooperation among partner countries. Breakthroughs have been made in key areas such as clean energy, green infrastructure, green transportation, and ecological protection, leading the Belt and Road construction system toward continuous green and low-carbon quality upgrades. Strategic alignment between China and partner countries continues to expand, consolidating development consensus and fostering new strategic synergies. Major global economies have embarked on green and low-carbon transformation, paving the way for the Belt and Road to seek new partners and establish fresh collaborations. China has signed over 50 cooperation documents on ecological and environmental protection with relevant countries and international organizations, with green and low-carbon principles deeply reshaping the Belt and Road construction path.

Amid the global wave of green development, the ambitions of developing countries to achieve economic leaps are being realized through the green and low-carbon upgrading of the Belt and Road, enabling interconnected economic transformations. For instance, under Pakistan’s energy transition policy, the share of renewable and alternative energy in national power production will increase to 60%. Chinese investments have provided strong momentum for Pakistan’s energy transition, with the construction of multiple large-scale power plants supplying affordable and stable electricity. Kazakhstan’s *2050 Green Economy Transition Concept* aims for renewable energy to account for over 30% of total power generation by 2030 and exceed 50% by 2050. Ethiopia’s *Ten-Year Development Plan* sets "building a climate-resilient green economy" as a national goal, positioning clean energy as a pillar industry that balances industrialization and ecological sustainability. Chinese investments have significantly alleviated Ethiopia’s insufficient capacity for sustaining green development.

Green Belt and Road cooperation projects exhibit a "spark-like" pattern—deepening at key points while spreading across multiple areas. Within the same country or regional market, both the quantity and quality of similar projects are rising, such as the "mini-surge" in green development projects involving Chinese investments in Kazakhstan. Meanwhile, multiple types of green development projects are clustering and diffusing in the same markets, such as Ethiopia’s Adama Wind Farm and Reppie Waste-to-Energy Plant, both funded by Chinese investments. The green Belt and Road has become a crucial incubator for expanding shared interests between China and partner countries as the initiative enters its high-quality development phase.

The long-term vitality of the Belt and Road hinges on its ability to take root in local societies, delivering tangible benefits to partner countries and their people. Green cooperation has largely dispelled hedging sentiments toward the initiative in these nations, strengthening people-to-people bonds. In most partner countries, green development projects involving Chinese enterprises are seen as livelihood initiatives—not as "resource plundering," "debt traps," or "sovereign encroachment," as some narratives claim. For example, Kenya’s Garissa Solar Power Plant, once operational, meets the annual electricity demand of 350,000 nearby residents, benefiting about half the population of Garissa County in northeastern Kenya. The project has created over 2,000 local jobs, with more than 500 local workers employed during peak construction. The project team also built a primary school, a community clinic, and drilled wells, installing water pipelines and storage facilities to bring drinking water to residents’ doorsteps.

III. Risks and Challenges in Jointly Building a Green "Belt and Road"

The Green Belt and Road Initiative was proposed amid the global trend of green development, aiming to promote high-quality cooperation in building the Belt and Road. The risks and challenges it faces include: the U.S.'s comprehensive strategic competition with China, which began with the Trump administration's distortion and smearing of China's Belt and Road Initiative, while the Biden administration has further clarified its intent to use green strategies as a tool to precisely stifle the Belt and Road; the intensification of North-South contradictions constrains the development potential of the Green Belt and Road, as disagreements between developed and developing countries on green development issues lead to dilemmas in international cooperation mechanisms; the Russia-Ukraine conflict has complex implications for the global green governance landscape, triggering an energy supply crisis on one hand while accelerating the deployment of new energy development on the other, yet emerging markets and developing economies have seen limited overall gains, with their dependence on developed countries remaining high. These factors collectively impact the construction and development of the Green Belt and Road.

IV. Prospects for Jointly Building a Green "Belt and Road"

The coming years are a critical period for shaping the green development framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. China must grasp the direction and pace, clarify three roles, and manage three sets of relationships to create a strategic environment conducive to its peaceful diplomatic development.

First, China should maintain its stance as a member of the developing world, strengthen green cooperation with emerging markets and developing countries, and position the green Belt and Road as an attractive international cooperation platform for these nations.

Second, China should serve as a mediator and bridge between developed and developing countries, encouraging developed nations to participate in third-party market collaboration and transforming the green Belt and Road into a platform where developed countries can find solutions to break through development bottlenecks.

Finally, China should uphold its role as a key force for global sustainable peace and development, mitigating and neutralizing the negative impacts of the U.S.'s comprehensive competition with China, and establishing the green Belt and Road as an international cooperation platform that continuously contributes to the security and stability of global supply and industrial chains.

5. Conclusion

Building a green Belt and Road is China's innovative approach to international cooperation, adapting to the technological revolution and industrial transformation, and it is an essential requirement for the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative. It reflects the vision of a global community with a shared future and brings tangible benefits to emerging markets and developing countries, strengthening their motivation and confidence in realizing green aspirations. For developed countries, the gains from participating in the co-construction of a green Belt and Road far outweigh the costs, and the opportunities far exceed the risks. Amid multiple crises, no country can remain unaffected. China and partner countries must seize the opportunities of green development, jointly address the challenges of global green governance, and build a community of life for both humanity and nature.