The security index of China’s investment in countries along the Belt and Road has generally increased in recent years, with opportunities outweighing risks in terms of related investment, according to the Blue Book of Investment Security of the “Belt and Road” Construction released in Beijing on April 27.

In 2017, the non-financial direct investment of Chinese enterprises in 59 countries along the Belt and Road totaled nearly $14.4 billion, which was mainly invested in such countries as Singapore, Malaysia, Laos, Indonesia, Pakistan, Vietnam, Russia, United Arab Emirates and Cambodia, according to China’s Ministry of Commerce.

Jointly published by the Belt and Road Think Tank Cooperation Alliance and Beijing International Studies University, the blue book points out that some countries along the Belt and Road face a complex political, economic and security environment. Relevant enterprises should thoroughly evaluate comprehensive development conditions of target countries they will invest in to prevent and control risks when making investment decisions.

The blue book conducted a comprehensive analysis of policy indicators in 46 major countries along the Belt and Road, including GDP growth, unemployment rate, relations with China, visa facilitation and tourism investment, calculating national and regional investment security index.

Researchers found that in 2017 Singapore’s investment security index was the highest, reaching 90.9 points. Such countries as Poland, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Malaysia, Lithuania, Slovenia and India were above the average with points between 80 and 90. From regional perspectives, Central and Eastern Europe scored relatively high.

The blue book suggests that Chinese enterprises should analyze regional comparative advantages of countries along the Belt and Road, investing in different fields based on peculiar national or regional conditions, such as communication and software industry in India and energy in West Asia.

Institutions or platforms like the Silk Road Fund, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the New Development Bank should further provide financial support for China’s investment enterprises abroad and their high-quality projects, according to the blue book. This article was edited and translated from Chinanews.com.

(Edited and translated by YU HUI)