China Rules How China became a superpower Seven dams generate almost half of Cambodia’s electricity. China built and paid for all of them. This one, near Cambodia’s southern coast, is about 360 feet tall. It is the fourth-largest by power output in the country. Dam Dam Kamchay Dam, Cambodia Sri Lanka borrowed more than $1 billion from China for this strategic deepwater port, but couldn’t repay the money. The port is now controlled by China, which is leasing it for the next 99 years. Port Port Port of Hambantota, Sri Lanka South Africa turned to China for $1.5 billion for a coal-fired power plant. It is one of at least 63 such plants financed by China around the world, which collectively pollute more than Spain. Power plant Power plant Medupi Power Station, South Africa Zambia tapped China for $94 million to build a soccer stadium of over 50,000 seats. These are among the more than 600 projects around the world that China has financed to win new friends and develop new markets. Stadium Stadium Heroes National Stadium, Zambia

China envisions a vast global network of trade, investment and infrastructure that will reshape financial and geopolitical ties — and bring the rest of the world closer to Beijing.

It is a modern-day version of the Marshall Plan, America’s reconstruction effort after World War II, which created a foundation for enduring military and diplomatic alliances. China’s strategy is bolder, more expensive and far riskier.

Its money doesn’t necessarily come with the usual rules. And the cost, for China and its borrowers alike, can sometimes be too high.

We examined nearly 600 projects that China helped finance in the last decade, through billions of dollars in grants, loans and investments. Taken together, they show the scope and motivation of China’s strategy.

41 pipelines and other oil and gas infrastructure help China secure valuable resources.

Oil and gas infrastructure

203 bridges, roads and railways create new ways for China to move its goods around the world.

Bridges, roads and railways

199 power plants — for nuclear, natural gas, coal and renewables — give China new markets for its construction and equipment companies.

Power plants

We found 112 countries where China has financed projects. While most fall under its infrastructure plan known as the Belt and Road Initiative, Beijing has pushed beyond those boundaries.

Belt and Road countries are shaded red. Europe Asia North America China Africa South America Australia Belt and Road countries are shaded red. Europe Asia North America China Africa South America Australia Europe Asia North America China Africa Belt and Road countries are shaded red. South America

After years of honing its construction skills at home, China is now deploying them abroad, including a series of hydroelectric dams.

Pakistan Pakistan Gabon Uganda Ghana Cambodia Zambia Sudan Indonesia Some of the dams that China has helped finance or build around the world.

In terms of power output, many of them approach or exceed the size of the Hoover Dam:

Each circle is a single power project Colombia 2,400 MW Under construction Angola 2,171 MW Under const. Nigeria 3,050 MW Planned Argentina 1,740MW Under const. Laos 1,272 MW Under const. Pakistan 1,124 MW Under const. Hoover Dam 2,080 megawatts Ecuador 1,500 MW Sudan 1,250 MW Pakistan 969 MW Each circle is a single power project Nigeria 3,050 MW Planned Colombia 2,400 MW Angola 2,171 MW Hoover Dam 2,080 megawatts Argentina 1,740MW Ecuador 1,500 MW Laos 1,272 MW Sudan 1,250 MW Each circle is a single power project Nigeria 3,050 MW Planned Colombia 2,400 MW Angola 2,171 MW Hoover Dam 2,080 megawatts Ecuador 1,500 MW Laos 1,272 MW Argentina 1,740MW Each bar is a single power project. Laos 1,272 MW Ecuador 1,500 MW Argentina 1,740 MW Hoover Dam 2,080 MW Angola 2,171 MW Colombia 2,400 MW Planned Nigeria 3,050 megawatts Sources: The Construction Intelligence Center and China’s Global Energy Finance project at Boston University

Geopolitical Goals

China needs friends. And literal bridges can help build figurative ones.

Large ports in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Malaysia — three countries along a major oil and commerce route from the Mideast and Africa — could someday double as naval logistics hubs.

Europe Area shown on roads map below ATLANTIC OCEAN Asia TURKEY China PAKISTAN INDIA Africa SRI LANKA ETHIOPIA Light red lines show ocean shipping activity. MALAYSIA Dots show ports China helped build. INDIAN OCEAN ATLANTIC OCEAN Europe Area shown below Asia TURKEY China PAKISTAN INDIA Africa SRI LANKA ETHIOPIA Light red lines show ocean shipping activity. MALAYSIA Dots show ports China helped build. INDIAN OCEAN ATLANTIC OCEAN Europe Area shown below Asia TURKEY China PAKISTAN INDIA Africa SRI LANKA ETHIOPIA Light red lines show ocean shipping activity. MALAYSIA Dots show ports China helped build. INDIAN OCEAN Shown below China PAKISTAN Dots show ports China helped build. SRI LANKA MALAYSIA Light red lines show ocean shipping activity. Source: Shipping data from University College London Energy Institute.

Beijing is heavily focused on its neighbors, lending them money for extensive road-building projects. Pakistan is running out of money to repay the loans, part of a broader pattern of what critics call China’s “debt trap” diplomacy.

KAZAKHSTAN UZBEKISTAN KYRG. Lines show Chinese road projects. TAJIK. China TURKMENISTAN Kabul Islamabad AFGH. IRAN Lahore PAK. INDIA Gwadar Port Karachi KAZAKHSTAN UZBEKISTAN KYRG. Lines show Chinese road projects. TAJIK. China TURKMENISTAN Kabul Islamabad AFGH. IRAN Lahore PAK. INDIA Gwadar Port Karachi Source: Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Different Standards

China has a different view when it comes to labor and environmental strictures. To staff overseas projects, Chinese companies have flown in their own workers by the thousands, drawing complaints that they are doing little to create local jobs. Safety standards have been uneven.

And Beijing continues to export polluting technologies like coal-fired power plants, even as such projects have become unpopular in China.

A 945-megawatt Chinese-built coal-fired power plant near Sihanoukville, Cambodia.

Risky Moves

Western governments and multinationals generally steer clear of politically volatile countries. The Chinese government has been less skittish, lending heavily to nations like Venezuela, Nigeria and Zimbabwe.

But China’s lending is not usually largess. Countries that run into financial trouble must renegotiate their loans, putting them deeper into debt. Sometimes projects are left in limbo.

Ecuador spent over $1 billion to prepare a site for a $12 billion Chinese refinery that was supposed to be finished in 2013. It’s stalled.