Before we decide whether the Belt and Road initiative is ineffective, not viable, or silly, I think we need to listen to what the Chinese say about it because this gives us an idea of what they want and how they see themselves and the role they play in the region.
Lord George Robertson, former Secretary General of NATO and Chairman of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) Foundation discusses “one of the gravest and most preventable security risks that faces people – the risk of death and disability on the world’s roads,” in a special message for the launch of CSIS’s new Reconnecting Asia report, “Safety on the New Silk Road.”
Asian Development Bank President Takehiko Nakao discusses infrastructure investment’s impact on inclusive and sustainable economic growth in Asia at the 2017 Global Development Forum.
United States Trade Representative Ambassador Michael Froman and Dr. John Hamre, President and CEO of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, discuss the future of global trade during the Economic Statecraft Speaker Series. The conversation touches on issues such as the legacy of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and potential responses to increased protectionism in U.S. trade policy.
Global infrastructure demand is estimated at approximately $3.7 trillion annually, with the majority of that demand being generated in developing countries. Asia alone will require more than $700 billion annually to support its growing infrastructure needs through 2020. As developing countries continue to experience population growth, rapid urbanization, and economic and industrial expansion, the need for quality and lasting infrastructure will remain acute.