Think tank report highlights digital and green development in BRI cooperation

A participant reads a copy of a report titled "Building an Open World Economy Through Belt and Road Cooperation," at the Belt and Road Forum for International Think Tank Cooperation 2026 & the 4th Silk Road (XI'AN) International Communication Forum in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Nov. 10, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)

BEIJING, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- Digitalization and the green transition are serving as twin drivers of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation, according to a think tank report released Tuesday.

Titled "Building an Open World Economy Through Belt and Road Cooperation," the report was issued by the Xinhua Institute, a think tank affiliated with Xinhua News Agency.

Digitalization and the green transition together improve the operating efficiency of traditional infrastructure, cultivate new sources of economic growth, create additional opportunities for partner countries, support regional economic integration, and promote sustainable development worldwide, the report said.

In recent years, China and its partners have invested heavily in digital infrastructure, including 5G base stations, data centers, and cross-border fiber-optic cables, continually improving digital connectivity within regions and among partner countries.

Digital economy cooperation under the BRI has become a central driver of regional digital transformation and is reshaping international economic cooperation, according to the report.

The report also highlights energy as a key area of BRI cooperation. China has signed renewable energy cooperation agreements with more than 10 countries, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Denmark, Finland, and Singapore, supporting practical green energy cooperation.

Data released in May 2026 by the International Institute of Green Finance at China's Central University of Finance and Economics show that the number of China's overseas renewable energy projects rose 39 percent year over year in the first quarter of 2026, while total installed capacity increased 32 percent.