Safety Issues, Poor Construction Plague China’s Belt and Road Initiative Projects

Published on February 26, 2024

News Analysis The identification of two Chinese citizens as suspects in a December explosion at a Chinese-owned nickel plant on Sulawesi Island that killed over 21 people has shed light on the issue of safety standards and construction quality associated with projects supported by the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The explosion occurred on Dec. 24 at the PT Indonesian Tsingshan Stainless Steel Company (PT ITSS), China’s Tsingshan Holding Group Company Limited subsidiary. Investigators found that during a maintenance process, flammable and explosive materials were left inside the furnace, leading to the fatal explosion. Reports also suggested that the presence of residual liquid ignited a fire, subsequently triggering nearby oxygen cylinders....

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