Belt and Road Initiative

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), also known as the New Silk Road, is a plan by the government of the People's Republic of China to build infrastructure for transportation, from China to other countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa. The project was announced in 2013. The "Belt" means the roads and railway tracks on land. The "Road" means sea routes.

At first, it was called "One Belt, One Road" (OBOR, Chinese: 一帶 一路 / 一带 一路, pinyin: Yidai Yilu).

A high-speed railway in Thailand is part of OBOR; the Bangkok-Phitsanulok High-Speed Railway is under construction (as of 2017).

The idea has always had its critics. There has been criticism about human rights violations and environmental impact. In the main, the critics do not expect most recipient countries to pay China back. In many cases there is not the slightest chance of repayment. Secondly, some (many?) of the railways are quite obviously "railways to nowhere". This is clearest in Africa.Brautigam D. 2020. A critical look at Chinese 'debt-trap diplomacy': the rise of a meme. Area Development and Policy. 5 (1): 1–14. doi:10.1080/23792949.2019.1689828. S2CID 214547742

"Some 150 countries have signed on to the Belt and Road with China, including 22 in Latin America", media said (2024).https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/general/2727425/china-widens-south-america-trade-highway. Retrieved 2024-01-20

Member countries in Europe, includes Hungary, Slovakia and Serbia.https://www.nettavisen.no/norsk-debatt/kina-spiller-smart-hvordan-de-utnytter-europas-splittelse/o/5-95-2304287. Retrieved 2025-02-26
Related pages
Economy of China
Political problems of China
References

Category:China
Category:Politics of the People's Republic of China
Category:Transport in the People's Republic of China