To mark the fifth anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), IFF – in collaboration with Central Banking – conducted its first Belt and Road Survey of 30 representative central banks from BRI countries and regions in 2018. The survey looks at the achievements, experiences and problems in China's bilateral and multilateral co-operation with BRI countries in the past 5 years. As the survey shows, most respondents expect the BRI to bolster their countries' growth, but more effective co-ordination is required to fully unleash its potential.

The 2019 Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Survey of 28 central banks reveals that they view the BRI as a major driver of globalisation, with a high percentage of respondents expecting the Initiative to significantly boost GDP. So far, political interference by "major countries" has had little effect on BRI projects, but this could change in the future.

The 2020 Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) survey reveals that central banks view BRI investment as sustainable compared with other forms of external debt, particularly given it is often proportionally less significant. Despite growing global trade tensions, protectionist policies have yet to impact BRI membership and investments, but this could change in the future.

The 2021 Belt and Road Initiative survey reveals that the Covid‑19 pandemic has disrupted many projects despite China remaining committed to financing the initiative, which is expected to support future economic growth and environmental development.