Adaptation of Polish regions to the challenges and opportunities of the Belt and Road Initiative

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is an international project focused on creating a network of infrastructure and strengthening trade links, primarily between China and Europe. Transport of goods within the BRI is conducted through one maritime and six rail economic corridors, one of which (New Eurasian Land Bridge) crosses the territory of Poland. This article covers issues related to the impact of the BRI on the regions of the participating countries and aims to determine the position of Podlaskie voivodeship compared to other Polish voivodeships in the BRI. To achieve this aim, a multi-stage study was conducted, including the design of a set of quantitative factors determining the position of voivodeships in the BRI, evaluation of the importance of the factors during the expert study, collection and normalisation of quantitative data, and comparative analysis of the factors. Research results show that, given the adopted methodology, the Podlaskie voivodeship is ranked 11th out of 16 Polish voivodeships in terms of its position in the BRI. This article’s findings contribute to the discussion on development opportunities in the Podlaskie region in the BRI context. They also motivate comprehensive research on the strategy for the widest possible inclusion of Podlaskie in the BRI’s activities and provide an important stimulus for the region’s development.