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Chinese BRI Investments and Construction Contracts Smash New Records in the First Half of 2025

The value of Chinese investment and construction contracts in Belt and Road Initiative countries surged in the first six months of 2025 to a record $124 billion, more than what was spent for the whole of last year. The findings by 

China’s “Small and Beautiful” Path in Overseas Energy Finance Signals a Greener Shift, but Will It Grow?

By Jiaqi Lu The era of carbon-intensive mega-investments by China in global energy infrastructure may be coming to an end. Recent findings from the China’s Global Energy Finance Database, managed by the Boston University ...

Update on the State of the BRI in the New “Small and Beautiful” Era

There's been a lot of talk in recent years about the new "small and beautiful" doctrine that now guides China's Belt and Road Initiative. The problem is that a lot of people still do not understand what it actually means in ...

China Endorses ‘Small and Beautiful’ Projects in Africa Despite Challenges

By Liu Shuang and Wang Ye China renewed its commitments to Africa this September at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing. The renewal included endorsing “small and beautiful” livelihood-improving projects and bankrolling sustainable energy projects. The idea of small and ...

China’s New Investment Priorities in Latin America and the Caribbean

For much of the past year, there's been a lot of talk about China's new leaner, more focused Belt and Road Initiative that goes by the mantra "Smart and Beautiful." The problem is very few people actually know what it looks ...

Analysis from Cobus van Staden

The G20 Summit and the Half-Life of a Joke

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 ...

Report: Chinese Investment Trends in Latin America Reveal Priorities of the New, More Strategic BRI

China's investments in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) are undergoing a dramatic shift away from large-scale infrastructure projects towards more strategic sectors like critical minerals, telecommunications and renewable energy, according to the findings of a new report by the Washington, D.C.-based think tank Inter-American Dialogue.

Chinese President Xi Jinping Outlines Next Phase of BRI

China will funnel about $100 billion into its state banks to fund the next phase of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This was one of the announcements during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s keynote presentation at the Belt and Road Forum, during which he outlined expansive plans for ...