The environmental diplomacy of the Belt and Road Initiative : going green to meet external expectations

Abstract

This article examines China’s environmental diplomacy through the Green Silk Road (GSR), a relatively recent yet strategically significant aspect of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). While existing literature has extensively analysed the economic and geopolitical dimensions of the BRI, the environmental narrative remains underexplored, especially concerning China’s international role. Drawing on Role Theory and Moral Realism, this study investigates how China’s efforts to “green” the BRI serve as a mechanism of role adjustment, aligning its self-perception with changing international expectations of responsible power conduct. Using a primarily qualitative methodology that combines content analysis, expert interviews, and a targeted online survey, the article explores the GSR’s impact on China’s global image and its positioning as an emerging environmental leader. Focusing on three regions—Central Asia, Latin America, and Europe—the analysis shows how environmental projects influence perceptions of China’s legitimacy and leadership. Although the GSR seems to enhance China’s international image, scepticism remains about the sincerity of its environmental commitments. The study argues that the GSR marks both a strategic and normative shift in China’s foreign policy, with consequences for global environmental governance and the changing political landscape in the Asia–Pacific and beyond.