Since its launch, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has struggled to cope with the political challenges of infrastructure development in low-income and often politically unstable developing countries. Due to the above problems, Chinese infrastructure projects often produce popular resistance in host countries, despite potential economic payoffs down the road. Popular protest has hindered BRI projects in countries such as Indonesia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Zambia and Kyrgyzstan. Chinese private security firms are also moving abroad to provide security for China’s overseas investments. On the other hand, Chinese firms relied upon bureaucratic partners such as the Ethiopian Railway Corporation (ERC) to manage conflicts with local governments and civil society organizations.