When it was announced in 2023 that the African Union would become a full member of the G20, I darkly joked on a podcast that the AU’s entry into the body could very well mark the moment the G20 lost its status as one of the most important global coordination forums. Mark my words, I said, soon The Economist will be like “Uhhh, the G20 is OVER – it’s the ...
Category: Belt and Road Initiative
Indonesian Finance Minister Will Join Rail Debt Talks with China
Indonesia’s finance minister, Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, will join a top-level delegation preparing to fly to China for debt-renegotiation talks on the Jakarta–Bandung high-speed rail project. Purbaya is joining the talks while Jakarta debates whether to commit any public funds ...
Indonesia to Renegotiate China Rail Loan, 5.1m Riders This Year
Indonesia’s Jakarta–Bandung high-speed rail “Whoosh” carried 5.1 million passengers in January–October 2025, 6.3% more than a year earlier. The record lifts total ridership to more than 12.2 million since it opened on Oct. 17, 2023, the operator PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC) said.
China Signals Support for Indonesia HSR; Debt Under Review
China said it is ready to help keep Indonesia’s Jakarta–Bandung high-speed line running smoothly as Jakarta opens talks to restructure project loans. In Beijing on Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun emphasize that when evaluating high-speed rail projects, Indonesia and China ...
Indonesia to Renegotiate High-Speed Rail Cost-Sharing with China
Indonesia will reopen talks with China on how to split a $1.2 billion cost overrun on the Jakarta–Bandung high-speed rail, Whoosh, as a new state holding prepares a debt restructuring for the operator. Whoosh is a 142-kilometer Jakarta–Bandung line that ...
China’s COMAC Seals Cambodia Deal For Up To 20 C909 Jets
China’s COMAC said Cambodia’s flag carrier signed a memorandum of understanding for 10 C909 jets, with options for 10 more. The agreement could become the aircraft’s largest overseas order. The signing took place in Zhengzhou, Henan province, on Tuesday. COMAC ...
Cambodia Defends China’s BRI Against Debt-Trap Accusation
China’s Belt and Road Initiative drew a forceful defense from Cambodia’s leadership this week, even as the accusations, mainly from the U.S. and its allies, over “debt-trap diplomacy” continue to shadow Beijing’s flagship infrastructure program. The phrase, coined in 2017 after ...
Beijing Drives New Rail Bridge Linking Thailand – Laos with China
China, Thailand, and Laos have agreed to accelerate the construction of a second Nong Khai–Vientiane rail bridge. This move underscores Beijing’s central role in reshaping Southeast Asia’s transport and trade routes. It is designed to carry trains directly from Thailand ...