Zhang Jingjing

Since China began encouraging its companies to go multinational nearly 20 years ago, and especially since it launched its Belt and Road Initiative in 2013 to invest in infrastructure projects around the world, activists in host countries have accused Chinese companies of causing serious environmental pollution. China pledged that the Belt and Road Initiative would be “green and clean,” but has not taken any measures to police the polluting activities of its companies abroad. Zhang Jingjing, a Chinese environmental lawyer, talks about her work with community organizations and lawyers in African and Latin American countries to help them develop strategies for holding Chinese companies accountable.