China’s Global Initiatives: More Questions, Fewer Answers

By Lukas Fiala With the Xiangshan Forum, Beijing’s premier security summit, having taken place in September, I’ve been wondering about the state of the Global Security Initiative (GSI). It is common knowledge that it’s rather difficult to understand the implementation of ...

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 ...

Development Finance at a Crossroads: BRICS Challenge to Western-led Economic Order

We're going to see two starkly contrasting visions of the current international economic order this week when leaders from nearly two dozen developing countries gather in Russia for a BRICS summit while the development finance elite meet in Washington for the IMF-World Bank's annual meeting.

China’s Global Development Initiative Meeting Signals Growing UN Influence

China’s Global Development Initiative (announced by President Xi Jinping in 2021) took a massive step towards global influence this week. It got the UN stamp of approval and is being integrated into its development plans like Agenda 2030. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi co-hosted a ...