Entries tagged "OBOR"

  • Laos Struggles with China Debt | June 1, 2020, 6:54 a.m.

    The coronavirus pandemic could have serious impacts on economic growth in Laos, which is already struggling due to significant debt taken on to finance a large range of Chinese-backed infrastructure projects, Nikkei reports.

  • China-Indonesia Rail Faces Delay | May 29, 2020, 6:48 a.m.

    Indonesia plans to extend the tracks of the $6 billion Jakarta-Bandung rail project being built with China to ensure economic viability, but is facing a one year delay due to the coronavirus pandemic, Nikkei reports.

  • Standoff at India-China Border | May 28, 2020, 9:09 a.m.

    Indian and Chinese troops are engaged in a military confrontation at the Himalayan border, triggered in part by India's construction of roads and airstrips in response to China's Belt and Road Initiative, Nikkei reports.

  • Belt, Road, and Beyond | May 26, 2020, 10:22 a.m.

    In Fall 2020, CSIS will host a three-day Master’s-level introduction to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The course will explain what the BRI is, what it is not, and how it is impacting commercial and strategic realities on the ground. Course dates to be announced soon.

  • View All Analysis | May 26, 2020, 10:21 a.m.

    Browse our analysis section for news and articles on topics such as China's Belt and Road Initiative (OBOR), the world's evolving digital infrastructure competition, and the stakes for U.S. policy.

  • Trading for Influence? | May 26, 2020, 9:17 a.m.

    While much attention has been focused on economic coercion, inducements have also played an important role in China’s toolkit. Ramping up U.S. efforts at bilateral and multilateral economic engagement would provide more credible or appealing alternatives.

  • China to Build Dam in Kashmir | May 26, 2020, 9:06 a.m.

    Pakistan has entered a joint contract venture with China to build a dam in Kashmir, increasing the country's financial ties to China and igniting new tensions with India, Nikkei reports.

  • Pakistan Bans Party Critical of CPEC | May 21, 2020, 9:05 a.m.

    Pakistan has outlawed a political party critical of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of China's Belt and Road Initiative, signaling the country's strong ties to Beijing, Nikkei reports.

  • Sri Lanka Hikes China Debt | May 15, 2020, 9:10 a.m.

    Sri Lanka's decision to borrow a further $80 million from Beijing to finance road improvements has drawn criticism due to the country's already high levels of debt to China, Nikkei reports.

  • BRI Rails Get a Boost | May 11, 2020, 9:28 a.m.

    Supply chain disruptions due to the Covid-19 pandemic have increased traffic along China-Europe rail lines, which Beijing has promoted heavily under its Belt and Road Initiative, Nikkei reports.

  • SE Asia BRI Projects Stalled | May 5, 2020, 8:49 a.m.

    China's Belt and Road infrastructure projects in Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia have come to a standstill as countries prioritize fighting COVID-19, Nikkei reports.

  • BRI in Africa at Risk | May 1, 2020, 9:19 a.m.

    Plunging oil, copper, and mineral prices could threaten China's $200 billion in investments and loans in Africa, Nikkei reports.

  • China’s “Hub-and-Spoke” Strategy in the Balkans | April 27, 2020, 6:42 a.m.

    This report assesses Chinese economic activities in the Western Balkans based on open-source data collected by CSIS and identifies key trends and China’s main avenues of influence.

  • COVID Slows BRI Workers, Materials | April 14, 2020, 1:54 p.m.

    The economic costs of the Covid-19 outbreak may limit the influence of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), as the virus halts the flow of workers and materials for BRI projects outside of China, Nikkei reports.

  • A ‘China Model?’ Beijing’s Promotion of Alternative Global Norms and Standards | April 13, 2020, 9 a.m.

    Beijing’s willingness to start new international institutions underscores its global ambitions and adds weight to its rhetoric about creating an alternative order, but it would be a mistake to exaggerate their current scale and effectiveness.

  • BRI Stays ASEAN-Focused Amid COVID | April 2, 2020, 9:24 a.m.

    China says that the Belt and Road Initiative will not be impacted by COVID-19, and has continued to commit to new infrastructure projects in Southeast Asia. While experts suggest that China's slowing economy will lead the Chinese government to prioritize domestic spending, Southeast Asia is likely to remain a focus for Chinese investment, Nikkei reports.

  • BRI Sees COVID Impacts in C. Asia | April 1, 2020, 11:04 a.m.

    Central Asia, a region at the heart of China's Belt and Road Initiative, has been sharply affected by the economic downturn in China and falling energy prices due to the global spread of the COVID-19 epidemic while country-level responses to the virus have varied widely, Nikkei reports.

  • China Pushes Health Diplomacy along BRI | March 30, 2020, 10:15 a.m.

    The president of Serbia recently greeted a Chinese medical team arriving to assist the fight against COVID-19, underscoring Beijing's diplomatic efforts to give aid and advice to countries participating in its Belt and Road Initiative, Nikkei reports.

  • China's "Health Silk Road" Gets a Boost from COVID-19 | March 27, 2020, 9 a.m.

    While the COVID-19 epidemic has spread along the routes of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), those same corridors are being used to provide medical support as Beijing attempts to position itself as a global leader in healthcare—a move which Chinese President Xi Jinping calls the “Health Silk Road.”

  • Xi Suggests Health Silk Road | March 25, 2020, 9:12 a.m.

    President Xi Jinping recently floated the idea of creating a "health silk road" paralleling the Belt and Road, which could further China's "mask diplomacy" efforts to provide medical supplies abroad and portray itself as a provider of international public goods. However, experts note that disinformation efforts by Chinese officials about COVID-19 are prompting pushback and could hinder such efforts.

  • Pakistan Signs New CPEC MoUs | March 23, 2020, 9:17 a.m.

    Pakistan and China recently signed new memorandums of understanding (MoUs) under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) during President Arif Alvi's visit to China, but experts doubt China's willingness to substantially increase economic assistance to Pakistan, including to combat the coronavirus outbreak, Nikkei reports.

  • U.S. Postpones ASEAN Summit | March 13, 2020, 9:22 a.m.

    As the coronavirus necessitates greater emphasis on cooperation between the U.S. and China, some experts worry that Washington’s decision to postpone the U.S.-ASEAN summit following a period of perceived disengagement risks pushing Southeast Asian countries further toward China and delays discussions on critical topics, including the U.S. rival to the BRI, Nikkei reports.

  • China's BRI Spurs Digital Yen | March 10, 2020, 9:19 a.m.

    Japanese lawmakers are pushing for the development of a digital yen in response to concerns that China could set international standards for digital currency technology, aided by the prevalence of the Belt and Road in countries with developing financial systems, Nikkei reports.

  • BRI Faces Criticism in Laos | March 5, 2020, 10:27 a.m.

    China's Belt and Road investments are facing public criticism in Laos as Chinese-built hydropower plants disrupt the local fishing industry. Some Chinese agricultural businesses have also been accused of poor labor and environmental standards while the IMF and other organizations have flagged the risk of debt distress in the country, Nikkei reports.

  • China’s Grid Plan Causes Concerns | March 3, 2020, 10:31 a.m.

    Beijing is pushing for what it calls Global Energy Interconnection, a vision of a multi-trillion-dollar worldwide electricity network, which presents an opportunity for emerging economies experiencing power shortages but also the risk of vulnerability and insecurity, Nikkei reports.

  • In the Shadow of the Belt and Road | March 3, 2020, 9:26 a.m.

    The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), stretching from the eastern coast of India to Europe via Iran, Russia, and the Caspian region, has been plagued by financial and political difficulties but its economic impact could be transformative if ever fully realized.

  • The Great Railway Game | March 2, 2020, 12:40 p.m.

    A flurry of recent diplomatic activity highlights the multilateral and multi-stakeholder footing of Eurasia's North-South trade and transport initiatives. While significant economic and political challenges remain, they retain the potential to transform Eurasia's economic landscape.

  • Gwadar Port City Criticized | March 2, 2020, 9:32 a.m.

    The Gwadar Smart Port City Masterplan, part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, has attracted criticism due to lack of transparency and aims that some experts call unrealistic. The plan estimates over 2000 percent population growth by 2050 and will require more than $648 million for basic infrastructure alone, Nikkei reports.

  • France Competes with China on Rail | Feb. 19, 2020, 9:32 a.m.

    French train maker Alstom is set to take over a railway unit of Canada's Bombardier in an $8.2 billion deal aimed at giving it the scale to better compete with China's CRRC, which continues to advance in Africa and Asia through the BRI, Nikkei reports.

  • U.S., China Compete in Central Asia | Feb. 14, 2020, 10:48 a.m.

    U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo promised "a million dollars of assistance to increase trade and connectivity between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan," during a visit to Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Meanwhile, China's presence in Central Asia is growing, in part due to heavy investment in the region's infrastructure development through its Belt and Road Initiative, Nikkei reports.

  • Japan Seeks Balanced China Policy | Feb. 12, 2020, 9:25 a.m.

    Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has crafted a China policy that mixes caution with engagement, for example, expanding the U.S.-Japan security alliance while also jointly funding Belt and Road projects, Nikkei reports.

  • Is China’s “Win-Win Cooperation” a Loss for Europe? | Feb. 12, 2020, 7:27 a.m.

    European firms seeking to participate in China's Belt and Road Initiative face rising hurdles while Chinese state-owned companies are successfully pricing out their European competitors. As European leaders gear up for several high-profile meetings with Beijing in the coming months, a push for greater transparency and reciprocity along the BRI could help level the playing field.

  • Wuhan's Shutdown Impacts BRI | Feb. 7, 2020, 9:30 a.m.

    The shutdown of Wuhan, a strategic transport hub, in response to the coronavirus outbreak could negatively impact China's Belt and Road Initiative, Nikkei reports.

  • China, Myanmar Agree to $9B Rail | Feb. 6, 2020, 9:45 a.m.

    Beijing and Naypyitaw have agreed to a $9 billion rail link between Muse and Mandalay, Nikkei reports.

  • Coronavirus Halts BRI in Pakistan | Feb. 3, 2020, 9:29 a.m.

    Fears of the new coronavirus spreading to Pakistan have delayed projects along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in Lahore and South Punjab, including work on the Orange Line Metro Train, Nikkei reports.

  • Strategic Implications of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor | Jan. 29, 2020, 11:43 a.m.

    China’s growing military ambition in South Asia is matched in financial terms by its Belt and Road Initiative, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. What remains unclear is how the U.S. should navigate the new dynamic. This report addresses the question of how the India-Pakistan rivalry will play into the emerging great power competition.

  • Afghanistan Uses CPEC Port | Jan. 23, 2020, 9:22 a.m.

    Afghanistan recently began shipping goods through Pakistan's Gwadar Port, part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, in a development experts believe may increase Kabul's participation in China's Belt and Road Initiative, Nikkei reports.

  • China to Build Myanmar Port | Jan. 21, 2020, 9:35 a.m.

    China and Myanmar signed 33 agreements during President Xi's visit to the Southeast Asian country, including a deal for the construction of a deep-sea port at Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone, which will give China access to the Indian Ocean, Nikkei reports.

  • Xi Visits Myanmar | Jan. 17, 2020, 9:24 a.m.

    Chinese president Xi Jinping's visit to Myanmar is expected to coincide with the announcement of the Belt and Road projects there, despite waning popularity of the initiative due to mounting debt levels, Nikkei reports.

  • The Road Less Travelled | Jan. 17, 2020, 9:09 a.m.

    The European Chamber describes the role of European business in China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), suggests ways the initiative can become more inclusive, and recommends areas where the EU can both complement the BRI and develop its own connectivity strategy into a credible alternative.

  • Re-calibrating the BRI | Jan. 16, 2020, 1:41 p.m.

    The CSIS ChinaPower project hosts a podcast episode with Dr. Wang Huiyao to explore the evolution of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the developments that have occurred since it was first introduced in 2013.

  • ASEAN Experts Skeptical of BRI | Jan. 16, 2020, 9:24 a.m.

    In a recent survey by the ISEAS-Yusof Institute, 79 percent of ASEAN experts surveyed think that China is the most influential economic power in the region, but the majority are not confident in the Belt and Road Initiative, Nikkei reports.

  • Pakistan Pursues CPEC Stability | Jan. 14, 2020, 1:13 p.m.

    In the wake of rising regional tensions due to conflict with Iran, Pakistan is working to maintain stability and advance progress on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Nikkei reports.

  • Ports & Fishing on China’s Maritime Silk Road | Jan. 7, 2020, 10:39 a.m.

    During the second annual CSIS Ocean Security Forum on January 7, 2020, a panel of experts discussed the implications of China's port investments along its Maritime Silk Road on regional ocean sustainability, sovereignty, and security. Watch the full discussion below.

  • China's BRI Faces Challenges in 2020 | Jan. 3, 2020, 9:23 a.m.

    Alternative infrastructure investment initiatives led by Japan, India, and Australia indicate that China’s Belt and Road Initiative is likely to face increased pressure in 2020, Nikkei reports.

  • China's Beidou Satellites to Aid 5G | Jan. 2, 2020, 9:20 a.m.

    China recently announced plans to complete its Beidou satellite-based positioning system by June. The navigational system is key to the development of 5G technology and already provides services to about 120 countries, many of which are part of Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative, Nikkei reports.

  • Laos Banks on China-backed SEZs | Dec. 23, 2019, 9:44 a.m.

    Laos has approved 14 Special Economic Zones (SEZs) backed by Bejing as part of China's Belt and Road Initiative in a bid to boost the economy, however, many observers are concerned about the country's mounting debt to China, Nikkei reports.

  • China Exports AI Surveillance Tech | Dec. 16, 2019, 9:22 a.m.

    China has exported AI technology to over 60 countries, some of which have concerning human rights records, raising concerns among some countries that China may be "exporting authoritarianism," Nikkei reports.

  • China Constructs Sri Lankan Island | Dec. 12, 2019, 9:29 a.m.

    China has completed a new island off the coast of Colombo, a $1.4 billion project funded entirely by Chinese investment. Sri Lanka is set to vote on legislation that, if passed, would make the island a special economic zone in an attempt to attract more foreign investment, Nikkei reports.

  • Japan Top Investor in SE Asia | Dec. 11, 2019, 9:29 a.m.

    According to Fitch Solutions, Tokyo-backed projects in Southeast Asia have topped $367 billion, outspending China and making Japan the top provider of infrastructure and development aid in the region, Nikkei reports.