Emerging and developing markets are competing to attract outside investment and playing an even greater role in the global economy.
Reconnecting Asia tracks infrastructure developments across Eurasia, a vast landmass that includes 60 percent of the global economy. Every day, new projects are announced; some advance, while others encounter obstacles. Here is a selection of projects and trends we will be following in 2019.
North and South Korea are pushing railway cooperation as an engine for advancing inter-Korean relations. Railway connections could integrate the peninsula into a network that spans the continent, marking a significant diplomatic and geopolitical accomplishment. However, significant obstacles still remain.
Washington’s shortsightedness is pushing its own competitors—the world’s largest nuclear power and the second-largest economy—closer together.
As Asia continues to develop, its demand for electricity will continue to grow. The Asian Development Bank estimates that Asia will need nearly one trillion dollars in energy investments annually through 2030 to maintain growth momentum, eradicate poverty, and respond to climate change. Reconnecting Asia’s new dataset of over 11,000 power plants can help shed additional light on the region’s changing energy landscape. Find out more about how these and other infrastructure investments are reshaping the Eurasian continent by searching our interactive map and database.
China’s latest “16+1” summit in Sofia Bulgaria perfectly captures its deceptive brand of multilateralism. Bringing together many countries, it gives the outward appearance of inclusivity and consensus-building, but beneath the surface, it is fundamentally different from the multilateral practices and institutions it claims to uphold. China has yet to offer deep multilateralism at scale.