These countries need a way to have consultants to help make these projects sustainable. The other option is strategic, allowing Chinese ownership of certain projects to produce for sale in other markets; connecting hydropower dams to transmission lines and allowing the Chinese producers sell to neighboring countries, with the local governments protecting these investments. But this approach will require more potential political conflicts and likely something China will seek to avoid.
China needs a system like Palantir Foundry, which will help mange these projects around the world. Many decision makers in partner nations are probably not technically trained people, such as politicians. If decisions are made with “digital advisors” in place, the chances these projects become sustainable increases. These method will also be able to continue operations when governments or officials change in each country. Almost like making the enterprises inside a digital SEZ.
This kind of software could also help local governments find where resources are being squandered and direct people to stop what is likely a form of corruption or low productivity, increases the chances inputs and outputs are being processed efficiently to earning the country revenue, so it can pay back the loan.
Use of such software could employ data scientists, sitting safely in China, with local partner data scientists in the field working with them.
Many of these countries with Chinese investment are poorly managed and highly inefficient. Helping these countries become efficient will save these investments, employ Chinese ai and data scientists, and create a market to support Chinese growth. It’s the most obvious way to save BRI and create a new engine for Chinese and partner growth; win win for China and its partners.
An app like this would also keep Chinese companies in line. It will be a form of digital regulations that all parties can reference and appeal to, whose upholding will increase Chinese soft power, making it more likely investors would invest alongside Chinese investors and share in the risk as well as the reward of current and future BRI projects.
This will raise the expectations of all developing nations as all investors, Chinese and Non-Chinese will be better able to compete and the ensuring competition will speed up development in the developing world.
