Dubai – Masaader News
Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a development strategy adopted by the Chinese government involving infrastructure development and investments in 152 countries and international organizations in Europe, Asia, Middle East, Latin America and Africa. “Belt” refers to the overland routes for road and rail transportation, called “the Silk Road Economic Belt“; whereas “road” refers to the sea routes, or the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.
World leaders are gathering in Beijing from Thursday for a summit on China’s Belt and Road initiative amid growing criticism of the project.
The sweeping infrastructure project aims to expand global trade links.
The initiative has funded trains, roads, and ports in many countries, but has left some saddled with debt.
Some see it as a bold bid for geopolitical influence, with the US particularly critical of China’s so-called “debt diplomacy”.