View All Analysis | March 31, 2021, 9:39 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.

Victoria's Wrong Turn on China's Belt and Road | Nov. 20, 2020, 1:41 p.m.

The Australian state of Victoria, which signed a Belt and Road MoU in 2018, has little to show from Chinese President Xi Jinping’s signature foreign policy vision.

Xi Promotes BRI for Global Cooperation | Oct. 14, 2020, 9:27 a.m.

During a recent speech commemorating China's Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, Chinese president Xi Jinping promoted the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as a pathway to global collaboration and named the city as a driver of China's innovation and technology ambitions.

Book Launch: The Emperor’s New Road | Oct. 1, 2020, 10:52 a.m.

On September 29, CSIS hosted an online discussion of Jonathan Hillman's new book on China's Belt and Road Initiative, The Emperor’s New Road: China and the Project of the Century, moderated by Axios China reporter Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian.

Don’t Let China Greenwash Its Belt and Road | Sept. 9, 2020, 10:08 a.m.

Xi Jinping's promise of carbon neutrality by 2060 will amount to little if his signature foreign policy vision, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), continues exporting China’s environmental challenges globally. China’s poor environmental record abroad presents a strategic opportunity for the United States, if only Washington would seize it.

China Expands High-Speed Rail | Aug. 14, 2020, 8:17 a.m.

China State Railway Group announced on Thursday its plans to double the length of the nation's high-speed rail network to 70,000 km by 2035 at a cost of 4.55 trillion yuan ($42.6 billion), Nikkei reports.

Xi Plugs AIIB as Cooperation Model | July 28, 2020, 9:13 a.m.

Chinese president Xi Jinping proposed on Tuesday to restructure the Beijing-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) into an inclusive platform for the promotion of international cooperation and multilateralism amid the coronavirus pandemic, Nikkei reports.

China and Russia: Economic Unequals | July 15, 2020, 12:02 p.m.

Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin are attempting to put economics at the center of their strategic partnership, but a closer look at four dimensions of China-Russia connectivity reveals a partnership of unequals that will become even more lopsided in the future.

China, India Border Clash Intensifies | June 16, 2020, 7 a.m.

An Indian Army officer and two soldiers have been killed in a clash with Chinese troops on the countries' disputed Himalayan border, where Indian construction has drawn sharp objections from China for the past month, Nikkei reports.

Nepal Weighs U.S., China Aid | June 11, 2020, 7:09 a.m.

U.S. promises of aid to Nepal have some political officials there worried that such aid could damage the country's blossoming relations with China and its Belt and Road Initiative, Nikkei reports.

China Prioritizes Projects over Environment | June 2, 2020, 7:09 a.m.

China, the world's biggest emitter of greenhouses gases, pledged to cut "carbon intensity" as part of the Paris Pact it signed in 2015. But China may struggle to meet its climate pledges this year as it turns to heavy industry and carbon-intensive projects to shore up its coronavirus-stricken economy, Nikkei reports.

Japan Diversifies Supply Chains | April 16, 2020, 9:45 a.m.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, several countries are reassessing supply chains dominated by China, including Japan, where Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pushed companies to diversify, Nikkei reports.

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.

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.”

China Ups Spending for 5G, Data Centers | March 24, 2020, 10:19 a.m.

Chinese president Xi Jinping is set to increase spending on crucial infrastructure including 5G network deployment and data center construction to help the economy recover from the impact of COVID-19, 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.

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.

Xi Visits BRI Port in Greece | Nov. 14, 2019, 10:59 a.m.

Chinese president Xi Jinping's visited Greece's Port of Piraeus on Monday, where the port's operator, Chinese state-owned shipping company COSCO, is set to invest another $661 million. Xi's trip underscored China's intent to continue expanding its footprint in Europe through its Belt and Road Initiative despite skepticism, Nikkei reports.

China's Promise of a Green Belt and Road | Nov. 14, 2019, 10:01 a.m.

As China comes under increased scrutiny over its global energy investments, Chinese authorities have announced a series of multilateral initiatives to “green” its Belt and Road initiative (BRI). While just recognizing the problem is a positive step for China, these initiatives are generally too voluntary to be effective, too duplicative to be adding value, and too opaque to be adequately assessed.

Macron Visits Xi in Shanghai | Nov. 5, 2019, 10:48 a.m.

French president Emmanuel Macron will meet with Chinese president Xi Jinping in Shanghai ahead of the China International Import Expo. His visit follows the announcement of a new EU investment screening framework designed to shield European technology and infrastructure from growing Chinese influence.

Xi Talks Internet Governance | Oct. 21, 2019, 9:24 a.m.

In a speech at the World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, China, Chinese president Xi Jinping said that it is the common responsibility of the international community to develop, use, and govern the internet well. Xi's statement was made amid rising concerns that China is exporting a model of internet governance that promotes censorship to recipient countries of its Belt and Road Initiative, Nikkei reports.

Congressional Testimony: China’s Maritime Silk Road Initiative | Oct. 17, 2019, 2 p.m.

Six years after Chinese president Xi Jinping announced the “Maritime Silk Road” Initiative, China is increasingly dominant in the maritime supply chain and the production activities that support it. This deeper maritime foundation brings commercial advantages during peacetime and could offer strategic advantages in the event of conflict. Congress has a vital role to play in addressing these challenges.

RCEP Could Benefit India’s Infrastructure | Sept. 6, 2019, 9:56 a.m.

China's Belt and Road Initiative presents potential opportunities for India to upgrade its roads, rail networks, and ports through bridging its saving-infrastructure gap, Nikkei reports.

Duterte, Xi Talk Infrastructure | Aug. 28, 2019, 9:17 a.m.

Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese president Xi Jinping plan to sign deals for infrastructure and funding support from China's Belt and Road Initiative during Duterte's visit to Beijing this week, Nikkei reports.

BRI Overtakes Trans-Siberian Rail | Aug. 19, 2019, 9:29 a.m.

The China Railway Express, part of the Belt and Road Initiative, has replaced the Trans-Siberian Railway as the main rail network connecting Asia and Europe.

Currency Manipulation and the BRI | Aug. 7, 2019, 1:18 p.m.

In this episode, the Trade Guys and Andrew discuss the Trump administration's designation of China as a currency manipulator. They also welcome a special in-house guest, Jonathan Hillman, who is a senior fellow with the CSIS Simon Chair in Political Economy and directs the Reconnecting Asia Project. Reconnecting Asia tracks new roads, railways, ports, and other infrastructure projects

Xi Touts BRI Nuclear Energy | Aug. 2, 2019, 12:27 p.m.

The China National Nuclear Corp. finished structural work for the Hualong One nuclear reactor in the Pakistani city of Karachi this June. Chinese President Xi Jinping hopes to install similar nuclear technology at more locations along the Belt and Road Initiative, with 30 units by 2030, which is estimated to create 5 million jobs and provide a total economic boost of $145 billion, Nikkei reports.

What's Happening with China's Belt and Road? | July 31, 2019, 9:42 a.m.

Xi Jinping's signature foreign policy vision, the Belt and Road Initiative, is a long-term strategy to make China the center of the global economy. Can China deliver on its ambitious plans? CSIS Reconnecting Asia Director Jonathan Hillman explains what's happening with China's Belt and Road Initiative.

Xi, Erdogan Talk BRI Cooperation | July 3, 2019, 11:36 a.m.

In a meeting with Xi Jinping in Beijing on Tuesday, Turkey's Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, expressed interest in deepening cooperation with China on its Belt and Road Initiative, including in the areas of infrastructure and defense in Central Asia and Africa, Nikkei reports.

Xi, Abe Talk Infrastructure Cooperation | June 27, 2019, 9:07 a.m.

Five myths about China’s Belt and Road Initiative | May 31, 2019, 12:41 p.m.

Critics of China's Belt and Road Initiative caution that the project stokes corruption, harms the environment, creates financial dependencies and extends Chinese military power. Writing for The Washington Post, Jonathan Hillman tackles five myths that have been fueled by the ambiguity of China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative.

China Sees Greece as BRI Ally | May 17, 2019, 9:22 a.m.

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Greek President Prokopios Pavlopoulos, calling on Greece to help promote the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Europe. Beijing is seeking support for BRI from within the European Union as Europe's trade and investment relations with China expand, reports Nikkei.

Italy, China’s Latest Gateway to Europe | May 7, 2019, 9:03 a.m.

The signing of an MoU during a March 22-24 by Chinese president Xi Jinping has made Italy the first G7 nation to join China's sprawling Belt and Road Initiative, but Rome will be wise to devote sustained long-term resources to the negotiation, implementation, and follow-up of whatever comes out of these memoranda to avoid the mistakes of other BRI partners.

Charting Progress in China’s Belt and Road Initiative | May 1, 2019, 9:34 a.m.

This episode of the ChinaPower podcast discusses the Belt and Road Initiative's current projects and financing, including recent backlash and scrutiny from partner countries, as well as the approach the U.S. is taking toward the initiative in the lead-up to the second Belt and Road Forum.

Experts: China's BRI Requires Global Norms | May 1, 2019, 9:19 a.m.

If China's push to build a massive, continent-spanning economic zone is to yield true benefits for all involved, Beijing must shift its policy course and embrace internationally accepted norms for the BRI, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

A Road by Any Other Name | April 29, 2019, 12:38 p.m.

China's Belt and Road (BRI) has taken a beating, but its central feature of big infrastructure projects will remain recognizable for years to come.

Xi Pledges Belt and Road Reboot | April 26, 2019, 9:09 a.m.

Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to reboot his country's flagship Belt and Road Initiative during the second Belt and Road Forum in Beijing. Xi called for "zero tolerance" of corruption and said China would ensure more transparency for the initiative, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

China’s Second Belt and Road Forum | April 24, 2019, 3:48 p.m.

Xi Jinping wants to repair the Belt and Road brand—as 37 world leaders gather in Beijing—but promises for reform will require further monitoring. CSIS’s Matthew Goodman and Jonathan Hillman go over some key questions ahead of China’s Second Belt and Road forum.

Reconnecting Asia: Analyzing China's Belt and Road | April 22, 2019, 1:19 p.m.

On April 25, China will convene leaders from 37 countries for the second Belt and Road Forum in Beijing. Here is some of Reconnecting Asia's top analysis of China's Belt and Road Initiative ahead of the summit.

Much Ado about BRI Agreements | March 22, 2019, 8:41 a.m.

Xi Jinping arrived in Italy today to sign a memorandum of understanding for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a development that has already drawn criticism from the U.S. Washington’s frustration is understandable, but it plays right into Beijing’s hand. Publicly criticizing Italy’s decision gives unwarranted weight to vague documents that, like the BRI itself, overpromise and underdeliver.

Islamabad Distances Itself from BRI | March 20, 2019, 10:22 a.m.

Pakistan has diverted around $171.6 million meant for joint infrastructure development projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a flagship effort under China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), into other construction plans. This signals that Islamabad may be distancing itself from Beijing and the BRI, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

China to Address BRI Backlash | March 4, 2019, 10:43 a.m.

China convenes its top political advisory bodies, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the National People's Congress this, this week. Analysts expect the meetings will address rising political backlash against China's Belt and Road initiative, reports Nikkei.

China’s BRI Faces Domestic Concerns | Feb. 15, 2019, 9:12 a.m.

Increasing criticism towards China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) coupled with China's economic squeeze has prompted Chinese skeptics of BRI to quietly ask if their government is putting its scarce resources to the right use. Although President Xi Jinping's BRI is still supported by leaders in Beijing, Xi's original ambitions are being rolled back out of public view, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

Xi Plans India Trip Ahead of BRI Forum | Jan. 23, 2019, 9:30 a.m.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is planning a visit with India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, as early as February. President Xi hopes to improve diplomatic relations with India ahead of China's second Belt and Road Initiative Forum in April, Nikkei reports.

Pakistan Asks China for CPEC Shift | Jan. 4, 2019, 9:26 a.m.

Pakistan is asking China to shift its investment focus from power and infrastructure projects to industrialization, agriculture, and education as regards the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

US, China Vie for the Philippines | Nov. 19, 2018, 9:48 a.m.

China and the Philippines are expected to sign billions of dollars worth of Belt and Road deals on Tuesday, as the United States and the Philippines move forward on key issues including free trade talks, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

Pakistan To Renegotiate CPEC | Nov. 1, 2018, 9:09 a.m.

As he heads for a face-to-face meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan is reportedly planning to renegotiate CPEC and to make it align more with Pakistan's interests, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

Xi, Abe to Cooperate on Infrastructure | Oct. 29, 2018, 9:13 a.m.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to accelerate cooperation on overseas infrastructure projects and finance as a symbol of their revamped ties.

World's Longest Sea Bridge To Open | Oct. 23, 2018, 9:27 a.m.

The world's longest sea-crossing bridge, connecting mainland China and Macau with Hong Kong, is set to open on Wednesday, giving Chinese President Xi Jinping a centerpiece for his vision of a "Greater Bay Area" economic zone, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.