Since China launched its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013, Beijing has loaned Central Asian countries over $30 billion to build infrastructure, expand extractive capacity, and support the region’s other development initiatives. Despite all this, Central Asian countries remain less connected to one another and the global economy than countries in other regions, and growing debt burdens have sparked…
As China’s Belt and Road Initiative enters a new era, CIPE is examining Beijing’s plans to go smaller, greener, and smarter. Has an evolution really taken place? What are the implications for recipients of BRI funding? This new brief compares the BRI’s original objectives with China’s new stated priorities and actions, advises countries to remain clear-eyed about the risks, and urges observers to…
Introducing Partner Perspectives, a new kind of content from BRI Monitor. These issue briefs spotlight the work of our hundreds of partners worldwide. Our focus for April is on Colombia, where our partner Colombia Risk Analysis explains the consequences of lobbying activity without sufficient oversight. In upcoming months we’ll mix in more Partner Perspectives to complement our regular Policy Briefs.
In recent years, China’s lending has slowed down. Does this mean that China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is on a downward trend? BRI Monitor partners are among the experts that agree: although China may be re-evaluating some of its priorities, the BRI is here to stay and remains essential to China’s foreign policy. Its original intent was to meet China’s…