The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank's environmental and social policies: a critical discourse analysis

Article

Radavoi, Ciprian N. and Bian, Yongmin. 2018. "The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank's environmental and social policies: a critical discourse analysis." Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy. 34, pp. 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/21699763.2017.1372301
Article Title

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank's environmental and social policies: a critical discourse analysis

Article CategoryArticle
AuthorsRadavoi, Ciprian N. and Bian, Yongmin
Journal TitleJournal of International and Comparative Social Policy
Journal Citation34, pp. 1-18
Number of Pages18
Year2018
PublisherRoutledge
Place of PublicationUnited Kingdom
ISSN2169-9763
2169-978X
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/21699763.2017.1372301
Web Address (URL)https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-international-and-comparative-social-policy/article/asian-infrastructure-investment-banks-environmental-and-social-policies-a-critical-discourse-analysis/54767BAB999B8EAA3F5A245CA126AD5D
Abstract

Like all other multilateral development banks, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), which approved its first loan in November 2016, has adopted Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) policies. Treating the text as Chinese discourse and using Critical Discourse Analysis as methodological tool, this article unveils socio-political interests beyond its contents and semiotics. We identify areas where the AIIB policies are intertextual with the ones that inspired them, namely those of the World Bank and the regional multilateral development banks, but also important departures from their discursive practice, reflecting the legal culture and strategic interests of AIIB's founders. Both appropriation and colonisation of ‘classical’ ESGs by the AIIB ones lead to reflection on social wrongs associated with development, and suggest solutions for turning development safeguards into meaningful instruments.

KeywordsAIIB; Asia; China; critical discourse analysis; development lending; social justice
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020480308. International trade and investment law
Public Notes

Files associated with this item cannot be displayed due to copyright restrictions.

Byline AffiliationsUniversity of New England
University of International Business and Economics, China
Permalink -

https://research.usq.edu.au/item/z2888/the-asian-infrastructure-investment-bank-s-environmental-and-social-policies-a-critical-discourse-analysis

Log in to edit
  • 37
    total views
  • 0
    total downloads
  • 4
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Refraining from exploiting disaster-hit communities, as an emerging principle of corporate social responsibility
Radavoi, Ciprian N. and He, Lingling. 2025. "Refraining from exploiting disaster-hit communities, as an emerging principle of corporate social responsibility." Disasters: the journal of disaster studies, policy and management. 49 (1). https://doi.org/10.1111/disa.12671
What should communities stipulate in their (macro)social contract with business? Updated CSR commandments for corporations
Radavoi, Ciprian N.. 2024. "What should communities stipulate in their (macro)social contract with business? Updated CSR commandments for corporations." Business and Society Review. 129 (3), pp. 373-397. https://doi.org/10.1111/basr.12365
Ante-factum legislative general vaccination mandates as a solution to legal hypocrisy in pandemics
Radavoi, Ciprian N.. 2024. "Ante-factum legislative general vaccination mandates as a solution to legal hypocrisy in pandemics." World Medical and Health Policy. 16 (3), pp. 260-272. https://doi.org/10.1002/wmh3.606
True Justice through deep listening on Country: decolonising legal education in Australia
Bird, Susan, Rawnsley, John Trevor and Radavoi, Ciprian. 2023. "True Justice through deep listening on Country: decolonising legal education in Australia." AlterNative: an international journal of indigenous peoples. 19 (4), pp. 892-901. https://doi.org/10.1177/11771801231198566
Rural Communities in International Law: Non-State Actors?
Radavoi, Ciprian N.. 2023. "Rural Communities in International Law: Non-State Actors?" Texas International Law Journal. 58 (1), pp. 1-19.
Effective multilateralism for an intergenerational covenant: Via universal rights or national interests?
Radavoi, Ciprian N. and Rayman-Bacchus, Lez. 2023. "Effective multilateralism for an intergenerational covenant: Via universal rights or national interests?" Futures. 151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2023.103192
Rural and Remote Communities as Non-State Actors: A Legal and Moral Argument
Radavoi, Ciprian Nicolae and Price, David. 2023. Rural and Remote Communities as Non-State Actors: A Legal and Moral Argument. United Kingdom. Routledge.
Socioeconomic rights in the age of pandemics: Covid-19 large-scale lockdowns have exposed the weakness of the right to work
Radavoi, Ciprian N. and Quirico, Ottavio. 2022. "Socioeconomic rights in the age of pandemics: Covid-19 large-scale lockdowns have exposed the weakness of the right to work." Journal of Human Rights. 21 (1), pp. 73-90. https://doi.org/10.1080/14754835.2021.1971071
Pedestrians’ rights in the time of the e-scooter: What happened to the ‘foot’ in footpath?
Radavoi, Ciprian N and Potter, Wellett. 2022. "Pedestrians’ rights in the time of the e-scooter: What happened to the ‘foot’ in footpath?" Alternative Law Journal . 47 (3), pp. 217-221. https://doi.org/10.1177/1037969X221108806
Law-guided CS: Ten Commandments for the 21st Century
Radavoi, Ciprian, Spencer, Elizabeth Crawford and Lee, Karen. 2022. "Law-guided CS: Ten Commandments for the 21st Century." Journal of Regulatory Compliance. 9, pp. 36-63.
Economics and Disability Rights: Inclusive Sustainability
Quirico, Ottavio and Radavoi, Ciprian. 2022. "Economics and Disability Rights: Inclusive Sustainability." Quirico, Ottavio (ed.) Inclusive Sustainability: Harmonising Disability Law and Policy . Singapore. Springer. pp. 107-129
The need for durable institutions for future generations: Mobilising the citizenry
Radavoi, Ciprian N. and Rayman-Bacchus, Lez. 2021. "The need for durable institutions for future generations: Mobilising the citizenry." Futures. 132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2021.102820
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Freedom, Rationality, Rule of Law and Democracy: Should We Not Be Debating It?
Radavoi, Ciprian N.. 2020. "The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Freedom, Rationality, Rule of Law and Democracy: Should We Not Be Debating It?" Texas Journal on Civil Liberties and Civil Rights. 25 (2), pp. 107-129.
First Peoples and Demographic Change in Australia: Was the Constitutional Statement of Recognition Too Easily Discarded?
Radavoi, Ciprian Nicolae. 2020. "First Peoples and Demographic Change in Australia: Was the Constitutional Statement of Recognition Too Easily Discarded?" ab-Original: Journal of Indigenous Studies and First Nations and First Peoples' Cultures. 3 (2), pp. 264-274. https://doi.org/10.5325/aboriginal.3.2.0264
Advancing culture’s role in sustainable development: social change through cultural policy
Rayman-Bacchus, Lez and Radavoi, Ciprian N.. 2020. "Advancing culture’s role in sustainable development: social change through cultural policy." The International Journal of Cultural Policy. 26 (5), pp. 649-667. https://doi.org/10.1080/10286632.2019.1624735
Isomorphic Mutation and Strategic Adaptation in China's CSR Standards for Overseas Investors
Radavoi, Ciprian N. and Bian, Yongmin. 2020. "Isomorphic Mutation and Strategic Adaptation in China's CSR Standards for Overseas Investors." Díaz, Belén Díaz, Capaldi, Nicholas, Idowu, Samuel O. and Schmidpeter, René (ed.) Responsible Business in a Changing World: New Management Approaches for Sustainable Development. Switzerland. Springer. pp. 247-270
Australian Law in Context: Social, Political and Global Perspectives
Radavoi, Ciprian and Norris, Stephen. 2020. Australian Law in Context: Social, Political and Global Perspectives. Australia. Lexis Nexis.
Indirect Responsibility in Development Lending: Do Multilateral Banks Have an Obligation to Monitor Project Loans?
Radavoi, Ciprian N.. 2018. "Indirect Responsibility in Development Lending: Do Multilateral Banks Have an Obligation to Monitor Project Loans?" Texas International Law Journal. 53 (1), pp. 1-21.
Towards the Consolidation of Movable Security Registration: Is the Successful Romanian Model Applicable in China?
Wang, Shumin, Radavoi, Ciprian N. and Scaunasu, Ion. 2017. "Towards the Consolidation of Movable Security Registration: Is the Successful Romanian Model Applicable in China?" The Chinese Journal of Comparative Law. 5 (1), pp. 173-189. https://doi.org/10.1093/cjcl/cxx006
Thoughts on the U.N. 2017 Population Prospects: Procreation-Related Internationally Wrongful Acts, and Overpopulation as Global Risk
Radavoi, Ciprian N.. 2017. "Thoughts on the U.N. 2017 Population Prospects: Procreation-Related Internationally Wrongful Acts, and Overpopulation as Global Risk." Pace International Law Review. 30 (1), pp. 119-145.
Home Countries and Transnational Bribery: China’s Changing Approach
Radavoi, Ciprian and Bian, Yongmin. 2016. "Home Countries and Transnational Bribery: China’s Changing Approach." China and WTO Review. 2 (1), pp. 7-32. https://doi.org/10.14330/cwr.2016.2.1.01
The Immigration Crisis' Challenge to the Universality of Intergenerational Justice
Radavoi, Ciprian N.. 2016. "The Immigration Crisis' Challenge to the Universality of Intergenerational Justice." Journal of Identity and Migration Studies. 10 (2), pp. 34-41.
Voluntary Engagement, Compulsory Marriage? The Necessity and Opportunity of Community-Investor Environmental Arbitration
Radavoi, Ciprian. 2016. "Voluntary Engagement, Compulsory Marriage? The Necessity and Opportunity of Community-Investor Environmental Arbitration." South Carolina Journal of International Law and Business. 12 (2), pp. 117-144.
Factors Countervailing Immigrant Phobia: A Paradoxically Successful Case of Chinese Migration
Radavoi, Ciprian. 2015. "Factors Countervailing Immigrant Phobia: A Paradoxically Successful Case of Chinese Migration." Romanian Review of Political Science and International Relations. 12 (1), pp. 3-20.
Fenceline Communities and Environmentally Damaging Projects: An Asymptotically Evolving Veto Right
Radavoi, Ciprian. 2015. "Fenceline Communities and Environmentally Damaging Projects: An Asymptotically Evolving Veto Right." Tulane Environmental Law Journal. 29 (1).
Fenceline Communities and Environmentally Damaging Projects: An Asymptotically Evolving Right To Veto
Radavoi, Ciprian N.. 2015. "Fenceline Communities and Environmentally Damaging Projects: An Asymptotically Evolving Right To Veto." Tulane Environmental Law Journal. 29, pp. 1-29.
Locating local community interests between government's assurances and investor's expectations
Radavoi, Ciprian. 2015. "Locating local community interests between government's assurances and investor's expectations." Rayman-Bacchus, Lez and Walsh, Philip (ed.) Corporate Responsibility and Sustainable Development: Exploring the Nexus of Private and Public Interests . Routledge-Cavendish. pp. 81-99
Enhancing the Responsibility of Transnational Corporations: The Case for Decoupling the Environmental Issues
Radavoi, Ciprian N. and Bian, Yongmin. 2014. "Enhancing the Responsibility of Transnational Corporations: The Case for Decoupling the Environmental Issues." Environmental Law Review. 16 (3), pp. 168-182. https://doi.org/10.1350/enlr.2014.16.3.216
Why China Should Regulate Its Overseas Investors’ Environmental Behavior
Radavoi, Ciprian N. and Bian, Yongmin. 2014. "Why China Should Regulate Its Overseas Investors’ Environmental Behavior." Beijing Law Review. 5 (1), pp. 22-33. https://doi.org/10.4236/blr.2014.51003