In Pursuit of Connectivity: China Invests in Southeast Asian Infrastructure

Abstract

Five years into China’s invitation for Southeast Asian economies to work in synchrony toward an envisioned ‘maritime silk road’, skepticism in the region risks being proven correct. Signature projects such as railways in Indonesia and Thailand are facing either chronic delays in construction, or protracted renegotiation. Port projects in Malaysia and Cambodia face questioning about geostrategic goals and economic viability upon eventual completion. China-loaned railway and oil/gas pipeline projects in Malaysia, also constructed by Chinese companies, made headlines in Malaysia’s election debates and were suspended when the new government assumed office. Negativity, at least in the mass media and policy discussion circles across the region, is a key feature of the state of progress and even future prospects of connectivity projects by China. In a material sense, Chinese investment in maritime ports, airports, railroads and highways, all designed to enhance flows of trade in goods and tourism within the region and beyond, is needed in the region. As a matter of fact, with regard to many of the construction projects under the media limelight, the Chinese involvement helped to fill a development void that has existed for decades, if not longer. For these projects to become successful, beginning with a controversy-free construction phase, the continuing international questioning about ulterior motives behind China’s efforts does not augur well for either China or recipient societies that welcomed Chinese investment in the first place. The more productive orientation is to critically examine the issues at hand and find ways to improve the level of collaboration toward enhanced connectivity.