CHINESE INVESTEMENTS IN EUROPEAN INFRASTRACTURES ALONG THE ONE BELT ONE ROAD.

Abstract

In September 2013 chinese President Xi Jinping announced his majestic project to put back to life the ancient Silk Road under the name of One Belt One Road (OBOR), then became Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) its main aim is to connect and create cooperation between Eurasian countries. It’s evident how the Chinese government with this strategy wish to achieve a larger role in global affairs and collocate China at the centre of the trading network. To do so the Chinese government is investing in strategic sectors such as: infrastructures, technology, energy and so on.

My dissertation concentrates on Chinese investments in infrastructures along the One Belt and One road, in particular in European countries. To do so Chinese government needs a plan and funds : the first chapter explains what is the BRI, its scheme along the six economic corridors that create the belt and the sea based road; what the main players are and their economic role in BRI. The second chapter demonstrates how Chinese companies can invest in European countries through the public procurement and tenders: after a brief explanation of the main functions of public procurement the chapter moves to public procurement in Europe and all the laws that regulate it and how the Chinese company can invest and win the tenders. The third chapter deals with a concrete case of the Greek port of Pireo, now owned by Chinese company Cosco.