Incentivizing Narcotics Control Through China’s Belt and Road Initiative in South and Southeast Asia

Chao Wang and Nicholas Lassi
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Chao Wang: Guanghua Law School, Zhejiang University
Nicholas Lassi: Guanghua Law School, Zhejiang University

Journal of Developing Societies, 2023, vol. 39, issue 3, 259-288

Abstract: The production and distribution of narcotics in many states in South and Southeast Asia present significant challenges for China. Several of these states receive foreign investments and assistance through China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), including a division of the BRI called the Health Silk Road (HSR). China has an opportunity to motivate these states to strengthen their narcotics control measures by adding conditionality clauses in the BRI/HSR investment agreements with these states. The suggested clauses could mandate measures such as improving drug enforcement, decommissioning production sites and distributors, increasing harm reduction and rehabilitation services, and establishing citizen complaint systems for narcotics issues. To ensure compliance, disincentives should be activated for states failing to meet narcotics control conditions.

Keywords: Belt and Road Initiative; Health Silk Road; China; South Asia; Southeast Asia; narcotics control; narcoterrorism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:jodeso:v:39:y:2023:i:3:p:259-288

DOI: 10.1177/0169796X231186056

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