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 ...
Tag: Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
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China and Pakistan Agree $7 Billion Rail Consortium
China and Pakistan reportedly agreed to create a $7 billion consortium to fund a joint railway project. The announcement also saw the unveiling of a four-year action plan to advance the next phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a major project in the Belt and Road ...
China-Laos Railway Fuels Trade and Record Travel Boom in Early 2025 Amid Scrutiny
Since its launch on December 3, 2021, the China-Laos Railway has handled over 48.6 million passenger trips and 54 million tons of goods as of February 2025. The number is seen as strengthening regional trade and economic integration under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), amid ...
As U.S. Foreign Assistance Retreats, Will China Step In?
A widely shared Politico article argued on Monday that “China is quickly making moves to fill in gaps left behind by the Trump administration’s abrupt moves to almost entirely halt and wind down USAID operations worldwide, from the Indo-Pacific to South America.”
Beyond the Belt and Road? What’s next for the EU in Latin America
Last year, the European Union renewed its economic and strategic interest in Latin America by announcing investments of EUR 45 billion (USD 48.7 billion), seen by many as a way to regain influence in the face of China’s growing presence in the region.
Don’t Focus on the Big Number at the End of FOCAC
As we approach the ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which will take place in the first week of September, the big question on everyone's mind is, "What's the number?" How much will China commit to Africa this time? Will it ...
Brazil Expected to Join Belt & Road During VP’s China Tour This Week
Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and Chief of Staff Rui Costa arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for a high-profile five-day China tour aimed at boosting economic ties between the two countries. The pair is accompanied by more than 200 Brazilian business ...
Ten Dead in Attack on Chinese-Built Port in Pakistan
Pakistani security forces foiled an attack on Gwadar Port, a key Belt and Road Initiative project. Armed militants detonated several bombs around the port complex before opening fire. All eight attackers and two soldiers were killed in fights with security forces.
New Investment Data Shows Belt and Road Initiative Is Rebounding
Chinese investment in Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects rose to its highest level since 2018. A new report by Fudan University in China and Griffith University in Australia shows that investment has jumped by 80% since last year. The ...
Awkward Timing as Italy Withdraws from BRI
Italy has announced its formal withdrawal from the Belt and Road Initiative after joining the China-centered infrastructure and investment project in 2019. The timing of the announcement that Rome won't renew its BRI commitment is notable. It came only a day before the ...
New Belt and Road “Blueprint” Released
China’s National Development and Reform Commission released a document listing aims for the next decade of the Belt and Road Initiative. It includes a more formalized version of the priorities set during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s keynote address at the Belt and Road Forum in October. ...
U.S. Commits Half a Billion Dollars to Sri Lankan Port To Take On China
The United States will lend $553 million for a new deep-water shipping container facility in Sri Lanka’s Port of Colombo. The project will be the largest undertaken by the U.S. foreign development agency, the Development Finance Corporation (DFC), as it challenges China’s ...
New Report Tracks Major Developments in Chinese Lending
China’s Belt and Road Initiative is evolving rapidly to take on debt, reputational, and ESG challenges that affected its first decade. This is one of the findings of a landmark report from AidData, a research institute at the College of William and ...