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Abstract

This article evaluates the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) through the analytical framework of sustainable development. The framework is crucial, as China frequently disseminates sustainability claims to promote the BRI. To assess these claims, it is necessary to examine the realisation of BRI projects alongside the empirical consequences they have generated across recipient countries. Southeast Asia constitutes one of the most prominent target regions for BRI investment. Four Southeast Asian countries occupy a significant position due to the scale and number of projects they have received: Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand. Each country exhibits distinct political–economic systems and structural conditions, rendering them analytically salient cases for testing the BRI as a purportedly sustainable development cooperation project. The findings indicate that BRI projects contribute to economic growth, primarily through enhanced connectivity, yet they fall short of fulfilling the core elements of sustainable development. Case studies from the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia reveal environmental impacts, including deforestation, biodiversity loss, and social displacement resulting from land-use conversion. The policy orientation of the BRI has not fully embodied a holistic commitment to sustainable development principles, as it remains more oriented toward economic gains than toward ecological balance and social justice. To align the BRI more closely with the 2030 Agenda, China would need to enforce stricter environmental standards, enhance transparency in financing mechanisms, and prioritise investment in renewable energy.

Bahasa Abstract

Artikel ini bertujuan untuk mengevaluasi BRI dalam kerangka berpikir pembangunan berkelanjutan. Kerangka berpikir ini penting karena klaim berkelanjutan kerap didiseminasikan oleh Tiongkok ketika ia mempromosikan BRI. Untuk mengevaluasi ini, realisasi dari proyek ini berikut berbagai konsekuensi empirik yang terjadi pada berbagai negara perlu dilakukan. Dalam konteks ini, Asia Tenggara merupakan region yang masuk dalam jajaran target investasi BRI yang paling dominan. Secara lebih khusus, tiga negara dari Asia Tenggara mengambil posisi signifikan karena jumlah proyek BRI yang mereka terima. Negara-negara tersebut adalah Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, dan Thailand. Bersamaan dengan itu, masing-masing negara ini mempunyai suatu sistem dan kondisi ekonomi politik yang cukup variatif sehingga menempatkan mereka sebagai kasus penting untuk menguji signifikansi BRI sebagai suatu proyek kerja sama pembangunan yang bersifat berkelanjutan. Dalam temuan penelitian ini, proyek BRI mendorong pertumbuhan ekonomi melalui peningkatan konektivitas, tetapi masih tidak memenuhi unsur- unsur pembangunan berkelanjutan. Studi kasus di Filipina, Malaysia, Vietnam, dan Indonesia menunjukkan dampak lingkungan yang signifikan, termasuk deforestasi, hilangnya keanekaragaman hayati, serta penggusuran sosial akibat alih fungsi lahan. Arah kebijakan BRI belum sepenuhnya memenuhi prinsip pembangunan berkelanjutan secara holistik karena lebih menitikberatkan pada keuntungan ekonomi dibandingkan dengan keseimbangan ekologis dan keadilan sosial. Agar selaras dengan Agenda 2030, Tiongkok perlu menerapkan standar lingkungan yang lebih ketat, meningkatkan transparansi dalam pendanaan, serta memprioritaskan investasi pada energi terbarukan.

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