The overall index of infrastructure of countries jointly building the the Belt and Road has further rebounded, and the infrastructure of countries is warming up and the development trend is improving. On the morning of June 1, 2023, Fang Qiuchen, President of the China Chamber of Commerce for Foreign Contractors, made the above statement at the 14th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Summit Forum held in Macau.

At the launch ceremony of the 2023 the Belt and Road co construction national infrastructure development index and the Report, and the Portuguese speaking countries' infrastructure development index and the the Belt and Road participation achievement report of Macao held at this forum, Fang Qiuchen, when studying and judging the characteristics and trends of infrastructure development in the Belt and Road co construction countries and Portuguese speaking countries, said:

At present, the general index of infrastructure construction of countries along the the Belt and Road has further rebounded, and the infrastructure construction of countries is warming up and the development trend is improving; Southeast Asia leads the world, and the construction of countries in West Asia and North Africa is expected to accelerate; Outstanding contributions have been made in the fields of transportation and energy, and new opportunities lie in the construction of people's livelihoods‘ Financing innovation, green transformation, and ESG governance empower and increase efficiency in jointly building national infrastructure development; The infrastructure index of Portuguese speaking countries has significantly increased, attracting attention from key countries and hot areas.

Fang Qiuchen introduced that it has been six years since the the Belt and Road infrastructure development index was first released in 2017. Over the past six years, infrastructure cooperation along the the Belt and Road has continued to heat up, and the circle of friends has become larger and larger. So far, China has signed more than 200 cooperation documents with 151 countries and 32 international organizations to jointly build the the Belt and Road.

It is understood that this year, the Contractor's Chamber of Commerce and China Export credit insurance Insurance Corporation jointly innovated and optimized the index research work in 2023. First, 76 co construction countries were selected as samples to calculate the "co construction country infrastructure index" and write the "co construction country infrastructure development index report"; Second, take 9 Portuguese speaking countries as samples, independently measure the "infrastructure index of Portuguese speaking countries", and write the "infrastructure development index of Portuguese speaking countries and the report on the achievements of Macao's participation in the joint construction of the the Belt and Road".

Fang Qiuchen further talked about:

The total infrastructure index of the co construction countries has further rebounded, and the infrastructure of various countries has rebounded and the development trend is improving. With the sustained recovery of the global economy, the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic has significantly weakened, the infrastructure development environment of the co construction countries has continued to improve, and the trend of infrastructure cooperation has further improved, with the total index rising from 114 in 2022 to 118.

Southeast Asia leads the world, and the construction of countries in West Asia and North Africa is expected to accelerate. The infrastructure policies of Southeast Asian countries are clear and stable, with a sound business environment and industrial support. This year, the infrastructure development index is 127, ranking first in all regions of the world. The rise in energy prices and the improvement of major country relations have boosted the ranking of West Asian and North African countries in the regional index to second place. From a country by country perspective, nearly 80% of the sample countries have seen an increase in their index scores, with Indonesia, the Philippines, and Saudi Arabia ranking among the top three in the national index.

Outstanding contributions have been made in the fields of transportation and energy, and new opportunities lie in the construction of people's livelihoods. According to statistics, over 700 transportation and energy infrastructure projects are being implemented in 76 co construction countries, involving over 68 billion US dollars. The two major areas have made outstanding contributions to the development of co construction countries' infrastructure. The livelihood projects related to housing security, education and healthcare, environmental protection and water conservancy are characterized by a large number, small investment, and quick results, which are highly welcomed by the people of various countries, providing new development opportunities for cooperation and co construction among all parties.

On April 1, 2023, the new Belgrade Sulchin section (Besu section) of the E763 highway in Serbia, constructed by China Communications Construction Corporation, was opened to traffic

Financing innovation, green transformation, and ESG governance empower and increase efficiency in jointly building national infrastructure development. All parties actively accelerate financing innovation, gather international capital through diversified financing channels and differentiated financing methods, and provide strong guarantees for the release of infrastructure demand. At present, the pace of green transformation in infrastructure is solid and firm, and new technologies and equipment are widely used in renewable energy, 5G networks, smart transportation and other projects, promoting the improvement and upgrading of national infrastructure construction. The concepts of ESG governance and responsible investment have become industry consensus, driving sustainable infrastructure investment and construction, and providing new feasible solutions for jointly building high-quality and sustainable development of national infrastructure.

The infrastructure index of Portuguese speaking countries has significantly increased, attracting attention from key countries and hot areas. The infrastructure policies of various Portuguese speaking countries have been further improved, and economic development has stabilized and recovered. The infrastructure development index of Portuguese speaking countries has significantly increased from 114 in 2022 to 124. Among them, Brazil, Angola, and Mozambique rank among the top three Portuguese speaking countries in terms of infrastructure development index; The high demand and popularity for development in areas such as transportation, energy, and public health have attracted the attention of investors and contractors from various countries.

In order to promote the high-quality and sustainable development of infrastructure in the the Belt and Road countries and Portuguese speaking countries, Fang Qiuchen reminded all parties to pay attention to the following risks: First, the escalation of geopolitical tensions and the political risks derived therefrom. The second is the economic risks brought about by financial market turbulence and insufficient endogenous power. Thirdly, the operational risks brought about by intensified market competition and compressed profit margins. Fourthly, the security risks brought about by regional security conflicts and violent terrorist events. In response, he proposed suggestions: firstly, to strengthen intergovernmental cooperation and create a favorable policy and business environment for the recovery of international infrastructure. The second is to improve the financial cooperation network, balance income and risk, and better meet international infrastructure financing needs. The third is to comply with the new trends in the post pandemic era, seize new opportunities for green and low-carbon development, enhance the development capacity of enterprises, and seize the opportunities for sustainable development of international infrastructure. Fourthly, all participating parties should cultivate a strong sense of risk and ensure that the investment and construction of infrastructure are carried out in a compliant, safe and orderly manner. It is understood that during the 8th International Infrastructure Forum in 2017, the the Belt and Road National Infrastructure Development Index was released for the first time, which attracted extensive attention from domestic and foreign media, academia, and international infrastructure investment participants. It is known as the "barometer" of infrastructure cooperation along the the Belt and Road, and has become an information window for international parties to understand the development trend of infrastructure along the the Belt and Road.

The 14th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Summit Forum was jointly hosted by the China Chamber of Commerce for Foreign Contractors and the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Bureau, with the theme of "Green Leading Digital Intelligence Driving Financial Empowerment and Cooperation for Win Win". More than 3000 guests from over 60 countries and regions attended, including over 40 ministerial level and above guests such as Mongolian Vice Premier Amur Saihan, and nearly 20 financial institutions More than 70 top 250 ENR international contractors, executives from more than 10 international organizations, as well as more than 10 international business associations and over 700 enterprises and institutions participated in the exhibition. Editor/Zhao E