China’s Belt and Road Dams: Ambitious Projects With Questionable Benefits

Overseas dam projects backed by Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative have largely turned out to be unprofitable ventures.

This general view shows the site of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in Guba, Ethiopia, on Feb. 19, 2022. Amanuel Sileshi/AFP via Getty Images

Commentary

As part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Beijing has helped build numerous large-scale hydropower dams worldwide, pursuing a clear political agenda to expand its global influence.