The BRI in Europe: the case of Duisburg, between dreams of development and a reality of decline

Abstract

For two decades now, China has become a focus for the economies of many developing countries. From Africa to Central Asia, from South-East Asia to Latin America, many academic, political, and economic circles see China not only as an important source of investment and other development support but also as a promoter of alternative models and ideas to imitate. These aspects are well known from the literature devoted to South-South cooperation and studies on the local implementation of the BRI. Less known are the perspectives of the developed countries and, in particular of the local realities involved in the new Silk Road. This study aims to explore the case of Duisburg, an interesting example of a European city that has embraced the BRI as a major development opportunity. Once an important center for steel production, now a declining reality in West Germany, since the 2010s Duisburg has become an important hub of the New Silk Road in Europe, signaled also by the visit of President Xi Jinping in 2014. This analysis illustrates how local authorities have sought to leverage cooperation with China to shape new growth prospects, and the results of their initiative, thus providing a comprehensive picture of the economic dynamics and local impacts of BRI membership.