Draft:Belt and Road Initiative

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), also called the One Belt One Road in China and sometimes the New Silk Road, is a global plan for infrastructure development launched by the Chinese government in 2013. This initiative aims to invest in over 150 countries and international organisations. It includes six major land corridors that connect cities through roads, railways, energy supplies, and digital networks, along with the Maritime Silk Road, which focuses on building ports.

The strategy was first introduced by Xi Jinping, the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), during an official trip to Kazakhstan in September 2013, and was called the "Silk Road Economic Belt." The term "Belt" signifies the planned overland pathways for road and rail transport that traverse the landlocked regions of Central Asia, following the well-known historical trade routes of the Western Regions. On the other hand, "Road" is an abbreviation for the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which encompasses sea routes in the Indo-Pacific, extending through Southeast Asia to the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, and Africa.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is seen as a key element of Xi Jinping's foreign policy. It plays a significant role in his "Major Country Diplomacy" approach, which encourages China to take on a more prominent leadership position in global matters, reflecting its growing power and influence. By early 2024, over 140 countries had joined the BRI, representing nearly 75% of the global population and contributing to more than half of the world's GDP.

In 2017, the initiative was officially included in the constitution of the Chinese Communist Party. The Xi Jinping administration describes the BRI as an effort to improve regional connectivity and create a brighter future. The initiative aims for completion by 2049, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Reactions

China prioritizes convincing its domestic audience about the advantages of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) over persuading foreign audiences. Academic Jeremy Garlick notes that this focus on domestic opinion is why the Chinese government communicates the BRI in a manner that is more easily grasped by local citizens than by international communities. Former EU diplomat Bruno Maçães characterizes the BRI as the world's first transnational industrial policy, as it transcends national boundaries and impacts the industrial strategies of other countries.