Proceedings of the 2024 2th International Conference on Economic Management, Financial Innovation and Public Service (EMFIPS 2024)

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Beyond the “Debt Trap”: China’s Infrastructure Investment in Southeast Asia

Authors
Yixuan Zhang1, *
1School of International Relations, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
*Corresponding author. Email: 30220212201303@stu.xmu.edu.cn
Corresponding Author
Yixuan Zhang
Available Online 7 May 2025.
DOI
10.2991/978-94-6463-706-9_53How to use a DOI?
Keywords
infrastructure; Belt and Road; China; Southeast Asia
Abstract

In the dynamic landscape of Southeast Asia, the waning influence of the United States contrasts sharply with China’s burgeoning economic presence. The ambitious Belt and Road initiative has invested substantial infrastructure aid into the region, causing debates over the governance capabilities of the beneficiary states. The Lao’s Boten–Vientiane Railway and Malaysia’s East Coast Rail Link often cited for exacerbating fiscal liabilities and fostering corruption risks. This study focuses on the relation between China’s infrastructural investment and government performance within Southeast Asian nations. By analyzing these projects, it offers a novel rebuttal to common criticisms. Despite the tortuous journey of these grand infrastructural projects led by China in Southeast Asia, they have brought about significant enhancement in economic and governance capacity in the host countries.

Copyright
© 2025 The Author(s)
Open Access
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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Volume Title
Proceedings of the 2024 2th International Conference on Economic Management, Financial Innovation and Public Service (EMFIPS 2024)
Series
Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research
Publication Date
7 May 2025
ISBN
978-94-6463-706-9
ISSN
2352-5428
DOI
10.2991/978-94-6463-706-9_53How to use a DOI?
Copyright
© 2025 The Author(s)
Open Access
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

Cite this article

risenwbib
TY  - CONF
AU  - Yixuan Zhang
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/05/07
TI  - Beyond the “Debt Trap”: China’s Infrastructure Investment in Southeast Asia
BT  - Proceedings of the 2024 2th International Conference on Economic Management, Financial Innovation and Public Service (EMFIPS 2024)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 594
EP  - 602
SN  - 2352-5428
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-706-9_53
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-706-9_53
ID  - Zhang2025
ER  -