Follow CGSP on Social Media

Listen to the CGSP Podcast

UBS Analyst Provides Upbeat Forecast on the Belt and Road, Challenging Skeptics Who’ve Already Written the BRI’s Obituary

by Eric Olander
Shanghai-based UBS Securities analyst Robin Xu explained to CNBC why he's bullish on China's Belt and Road. Image via CNBC.

If your media diet is predominantly from Western, Japanese or Indian sources, then it’s quite likely you’ve seen one of the countless obituaries this year for China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

The narrative in articles like Foreign Policy’s “China’s Belt and Road to Nowhere” or Nikkei Asia’s “Belt and Road Initiative at tipping point” all highlight the debt problems that now bedevil many of the countries that borrowed heavily from China under the auspices of the BRI.

Lead the Conversation on China

Subscribe Today to Get Full Access to The China-Global South Project

Check Out Everything You'll Get With Your Subscription

The China-Global South Daily Brief delivered to your inbox at 6AM Washington time

Full access to exclusive news and analysis from editors based in the Global South

Transcripts of CGSP’s twice-weekly podcasts

Students and teachers with a valid .edu email address are eligible for a 50% discount off monthly or yearly subscriptions. Email us to receive a discount code.

You Might Like

Report: China Financed More Infrastructure in Africa Than All of the World’s Major Donors… Combined

It’s been obvious in recent years that China has provided far more financing for African infrastructure development than any other country or multilateral development finance institution (DFI). Now, however, for the first time, ...

While the EU & U.S. Talk About Competing With China to Build Infrastructure in the Global South, Japan’s Experience in Vietnam Should Give Them Pause

Over the past month, the United States and Europe have doubled down on their commitment to challenging China’s Belt and Road Initiative by launching new initiatives to build infrastructure in developing countries. Secretary ...

The Implications of China’s Infrastructure-Building in Africa for the United States

The Washington-based think tank, the National Bureau of Asian Research, published a large new report (PDF) on the role of infrastructure in China’s influence-building in Africa. It features prominent scholars providing geostrategic perspectives on ...

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.

Subscribe