Companies across the globe are now seeking opportunities to participate in China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), The Initiative, which is made up of six land corridors, one maritime corridor and even an Ice Silk Road to develop Arctic routes, has indeed attracted the interest of countries around the world eager for Chinese investment in infrastructure. However, five years into the Initiative, non-Chinese firms are experiencing a low rate of participation in BRI projects, despite government promises of a level playing field in bidding and regulatory procedures.

The European Chamber used this issue of EURObiz as a platform for members to share their knowledge of the scope of BRI projects as well as related financing and jurisdiction issues, opportunities and challenges for SMEs, and the development of energy and shipbuilding industries in China. Parallel to European companies' call for more transparency and openness in the BRI, the EU Commission recently introduced the Europe-Asia Connectivity Strategy, stressing that strong partnerships and transparent rules are hallmarks of the Connectivity plan.

The November / December 2018 issue of EURObiz also featured these articles:

• A book review of China's Asian Dream: Empire Building Along the New Silk Road by Tom Miller
• Elevating your China Story to Global Audiences
• Future-proofing Your China Strategy and Business Operations
• China's Standardization Reform