In 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative moved from vision to action. Over the past ten years, this cross-continental cooperation platform has not only reshaped the global economic landscape, but also become a key starting point for Chinese enterprises to break through development bottlenecks and achieve strategic upgrades. This article combines the latest data and typical cases in 2025 to provide an in-depth analysis of the six strategic values ​​of "One Belt, One Road" to Chinese companies.

1. Market expansion: opening up new blue oceans for growth in 152 countries

The "One Belt and One Road" covers 65% of the world's population and 30% of its GDP, providing Chinese companies with unprecedented market opportunities. From January to September 2025, China's non-financial direct investment in countries along the Belt and Road reached US$30.01 billion, a year-on-year surge of 23.7%. In the field of infrastructure, the Balagod Hydropower Station in Pakistan built by a Chinese enterprise has achieved dam closure and will meet 15% of the country's electricity demand upon completion; the launch of the UAE's all-weather power supply optical storage project marks a major breakthrough in China's new energy technology in desert areas. These projects not only create direct benefits, but also drive equipment exports through technology output, forming a compound growth model of "infrastructure manufacturing".

In the consumer market, cross-border e-commerce has become a new engine. China has signed e-commerce cooperation memorandums with 36 countries. Platforms such as "Soho Cloud" have promoted the settlement of more than 300 companies from Central Asia. In 2025, the cross-border e-commerce transaction volume between China and Afghanistan will increase by 42% year-on-year. The data center built by Huawei in Uzbekistan has increased the local Internet penetration rate from 43% to 70%, laying the foundation for the development of the digital economy.

2. Resource integration: building competitive advantages in the global industrial chain

Complementary resources are the core logic of "Belt and Road" cooperation. Chinese companies have established stable resource supply networks in countries along the Belt and Road through investments and mergers. The 20,000 tons of special steel customized by Jiugang Group for the key railway projects of the "Belt and Road Initiative" passed strict inspections with a 100% passing rate, ensuring the construction quality of cross-border transportation arteries. Hebei Port Group has deepened cooperation with Brazil's Vale to reduce logistics costs for domestic steel companies by optimizing iron ore transportation channels.

In the energy field, Chinese companies signed three new energy EPC contracts in Saudi Arabia, with a total installed capacity of over 2GW; Namibia's first grid-side energy storage project equipment arrived in Hong Kong, promoting Africa's clean energy transformation. These projects not only relieve domestic resource pressure, but also enhance China’s voice in global energy governance through the output of technical standards.

3. Technology Upgrading: Seizing the Commanding Heights of the Digital Economy

The Digital Silk Road has become a new benchmark for innovative cooperation. The 5G network built by Chinese companies in Kyrgyzstan has tripled the country's mobile network speed and promoted the development of new business formats such as telemedicine and smart agriculture. The "Digital Silk Road" international science program (DBAR) has attracted 59 countries to participate, established 9 international centers of excellence, developed key technologies such as a comprehensive disaster chain database, and provided climate risk early warning services to countries along the route.

In the field of cross-border payments, the RMB Cross-border Payment System (CIPS) covers 109 countries, with transaction volume exceeding 120 trillion yuan in 2025, reducing corporate exchange rate risks. The digital skills training platform established by China in cooperation with Thailand, Ghana and other countries has trained more than 12,000 local technical talents to reserve human resources for the development of the digital economy.

4. Policy dividends: escorted by multiple institutional innovations

The tax incentives and domestic policies of countries along the Belt and Road have a superimposed effect. Nicaragua proposes to implement 100% tax exemption for Chinese enterprises in the "Belt and Road" special economic zones, covering 12 types of taxes such as income tax and customs duties. The validity period of the policy can be extended indefinitely. Domestically, the tax deferral policy for profit reinvestment by overseas investors has covered 98 countries, and companies can enjoy tax deferral benefits for up to 5 years. The Export-Import Bank of China's "Belt and Road" loan balance exceeded 2 trillion yuan, exceeding the 350 billion yuan financing window quota, providing low-cost financial support for major projects.

The legal protection system is constantly improving. The International Commercial Court of the Supreme People's Court has resolved multi-million dollar cross-border disputes through mediation and established a one-stop resolution mechanism of "litigation mediation arbitration". In 2025, the amount of cases involved in the cases successfully mediated will reach 1.5 billion yuan. PICC provided risk protection worth RMB 1.02 trillion for 648 "One Belt and One Road" projects, and created the first overseas project risk remote observation system to achieve three-dimensional prevention and control of political, legal and natural risks.

5. Brand Leap: From "Made in China" to "Global Brand"

"One Belt, One Road" has become an important stage for Chinese enterprises to shape their international image. Since the opening of the China-Laos Railway, a total of 3,500 Lao employees have been recruited, indirectly creating 100,000 jobs. It is known as the "Happy Road" by local people. The wind power project built by China Power Construction Corporation of China in Egypt turned the desert into an oasis through ecological restoration technology and was awarded the "Global Best Practice Case for Sustainable Development". These projects not only bring economic benefits, but also enhance the reputation of Chinese brands through cultural exchanges.

In the field of high-end manufacturing, the European R&D center established by XCMG in Poland has attracted more than 300 local engineers to participate and promote the integration of engineering machinery technical standards with international standards. The battery factory invested and constructed by CATL in Hungary has become a key link in the European new energy vehicle industry chain, and its production capacity will reach 2025.

6. Risk prevention and control: Establish a full life cycle management system

As the "One Belt, One Road" initiative enters deep waters, the risks faced by enterprises are diversified. Through institutional innovation and technological means, Chinese enterprises have built a risk prevention and control network covering before, during and after the event. During the project evaluation stage, a country risk rating model was established with the help of big data analysis, and 12 indicators such as political stability and legal compliance were quantitatively assessed. During the operation phase, satellite remote sensing, Internet of Things and other technologies are used to monitor project progress in real time. The disaster map developed by PICC has covered 23 countries and can provide 72-hour advance warning of extreme weather.

The dispute resolution mechanism is continuously optimized. China has signed bilateral investment agreements with 108 countries, clarifying the dispute settlement procedures between investors and host countries. In 2025, a Chinese-funded company encountered policy changes in Southeast Asia and successfully recovered US$230 million in losses through international arbitration, becoming a typical case of legal rights protection under the "Belt and Road" initiative.

In the ten years since the "Belt and Road" initiative, Chinese companies have achieved a leap from product export to technology export, from market expansion to rule formulation. In 2025, the number of China-Europe freight trains will exceed 60,000, the number of comprehensive cross-border e-commerce pilot zones will increase to 165, and digital economic cooperation will cover 90% of countries along the routes. Behind these data is a vivid portrayal of Chinese enterprises' deep integration into the global value chain. Facing a century of changes, companies need to use the "Belt and Road" as a fulcrum to transform policy dividends into innovation momentum, seize the opportunity to build a new dual-circulation development pattern, and contribute more Chinese solutions to global economic governance.