Editing Belt and Road Initiative

[[File:BRI agreements.png|alt=All countries that either attended a BRI summit (yellow) or who signed cooperation documents related to the BRI (red)|thumb|Countries currently in the Belt and Road Initiative (red) and countries which attended a BRI summit (yellow)]]
The '''Belt and Road Initiative''' ('''BRI''') is a global infrastructure development strategy adopted by the [[China#Governance|Chinese government]] in 2013 to invest in nearly 70 countries and international organizations. The BRI was initially  proposed by China in [[Kazakhstan]].<ref>{{Web citation|newspaper=Xinhua|title=Officials, experts say deepened China-Central Asia cooperation on Belt and Road benefits region, world|date=2023-05-18|url=https://english.news.cn/20230518/864fd60c483c49b0bf4386affd74ae1d/c.html|retrieved=2023-06-28}}</ref> It is considered a centerpiece of [[Xi Jinping]]'s foreign policy.<ref>{{News citation|title=President Xi proposes Silk Road economic belt|url=https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2013xivisitcenterasia/2013-09/07/content_16951811.htm}}</ref>

The BRI is one of the many factors which is leading to [[de-dollarization]]<ref>https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2018/04/09/the-de-dollarization-in-china/</ref> the decline of the influence of the [[United States imperialism|US empire]],<ref>{{News citation|journalist=[[Danny Haiphong]]|title=U.S. imperial Decline and the Belt and Road Initiative: The Most Important Global Struggle of the Century|url=https://blackagendareport.com/us-imperial-decline-and-belt-and-road-initiative-most-important-global-struggle-century|newspaper=[[Black Agenda Report]]}}</ref> and enhanced economic growth of [[Non-Aligned Movement|non-aligned countries]].<ref>{{News citation|title=China’s BRI: The REAL Story! Symbol of its Inevitable Rise? With Hussein Askary!|url=https://youtu.be/OGGItLIKL8g}}</ref> It has also furthered the strength and helps to carry out what was established in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This has lead to over 40 countries partaking in the BRI's environmentally friendly development.<ref>{{Web citation|newspaper=Xinhua|title=(CPC Congress) Official hails positive progress in building green Belt and Road|date=2022-10-21|url=https://english.news.cn/20221021/3510edb82fc64407bd423c5ad72a8080/c.html|retrieved=2023-06-28}}</ref>

In 2015, [[Hungary]] became the first European country to be a part of the BRI. In 2017, China and Hungary began working on the flagship project of constructing the Hungary-Serbia railway.<ref>{{Web citation|author=Wang Wenwen|newspaper=Global Times|title=China, Hungary elevate ties during Xi’s visit in Budapest|date=2024-05-10|url=https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202405/1312013.shtml|retrieved=2024-05-16}}</ref>

In 2021, [[Republic of Cuba|Cuba]] has joined the BRI project for the purpose of expanding its telecommunications and green energy industries.<ref>{{News citation|journalist=|date=2021-10-18|title=Cuba Formally Joins China's Belt and Road Energy Partnership|url=https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Cuba-Formally-Joins-Chinas-Belt-and-Road-Energy-Partnership-20211018-0016.html|newspaper=[[TeleSUR]]|archive-url=|archive-date=|retrieved=}}</ref> Syria has also joined.<ref>{{News citation|date=2022-12-01|title=Syria Officially Joins China's Belt and Road, Seeking Lifeline to Defy U.S. Sanctions|url=https://www.newsweek.com/syria-officially-joins-chinas-belt-road-seeking-lifeline-defy-us-sanctions-1668849}}</ref> In February 2022, [[Argentine Republic|Argentina]] joined the BRI.<ref>{{News citation|date=2022-02-06|title=Argentina officially joins BRI in major boost for China-Latin America cooperation|url=https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202202/1251555.shtml|newspaper=Global Times|retrieved=2022-02-08}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|journalist=[[Benjamin Norton]]|date=2022-02-12|title=Trapped in IMF debt, Argentina turns to Russia and joins China's Belt & Road|url=https://youtu.be/NZzATH_759s|newspaper=[[Multipolarista]]}}</ref> Total, this has lead the BRI to have three-fourths of nations in the world participating in it.<ref>{{Web citation|newspaper=Xinhua|title=Belt and Road Initiative participated by three-fourths of world's countries: FM|date=2023-03-07|url=https://english.news.cn/20230307/bb6a8edabb984f35bcbf2930e8649ad8/c.html|retrieved=2023-06-28}}</ref> In total, this has caused 151 countries to sign agreements with China for their mutual benefit.<ref name=":0">{{Web citation|newspaper=Xinhua|title=Belt and Road Initiative promotes economic growth, improves people's lives: spokesperson|date=2023-03-03|url=https://english.news.cn/20230303/42d3cefc3f884db4a5d2833ca9e89141/c.html|retrieved=2023-06-28}}</ref>

The participating countries have extracted great benefit from being members in the BRI.<ref>{{Web citation|newspaper=Xinhua|title=Belt and Road Initiative a high-quality public good: Chinese FM|date=2023-03-07|url=https://english.news.cn/20230307/445535cfeeb74f098e93ae9407a798a6/c.html|retrieved=2023-06-28}}</ref><ref>{{Web citation|newspaper=Xinhua|title=Chinese political advisors discuss people-to-people connectivity along Belt and Road|date=2022-11-25|url=https://english.news.cn/20221125/8441fd86e8f94a2eb9d57b3def178444/c.html|retrieved=2023-06-28}}</ref> It has created 420,000 jobs and lifted 40 million people out of poverty.<ref>{{Web citation|newspaper=Xinhua|title=Belt and Road Initiative creates 420,000 jobs for participant countries: FM|date=2023-03-07|url=https://english.news.cn/20230307/83163d3aca13492c9ffdfd7855c8fbbd/c.html|retrieved=2023-06-28}}</ref><ref>{{Web citation|newspaper=Xinhua|title=Belt and Road Initiative a key platform for new era of international cooperation: Thai ambassador|date=2023-03-08|url=https://english.news.cn/20230308/fc38b17e42aa43628f51b35af26fbca7/c.html|retrieved=2023-06-28}}</ref> The BRI has also lead to deeper ties between China and other participating countries.<ref>{{Web citation|newspaper=Xinhua|title=China, Belt and Road countries enjoy closer trade ties|date=2023-03-02|url=https://english.news.cn/20230302/3b7a7001402c4b46a40ff4fd0ae7f25e/c.html|retrieved=2023-06-28}}</ref>

In total, China has developed over 200 contacts with 152 countries as part of the BRI.<ref>{{Web citation|newspaper=Xinhua|title=BRI benefits partner nations with vast opportunities|date=2023-11-20|url=https://english.news.cn/20231120/80a7cb0451b744a884775b19ad1df8ae/c.html|retrieved=2023-11-20}}</ref>

Trade between China and BRI member countries reached 21 trillion USD between 2013 and October 2023. Direct Chinese investments in BRI member countries reached 270 billion USD during the time period.<ref>{{Web citation|newspaper=The State Council of the People’s Republic of China|title=China releases document on vision, actions for Belt and Road cooperation in next decade|date=2023-11-24|url=https://english.www.gov.cn/news/202311/24/content_WS65600f67c6d0868f4e8e1936.html|retrieved=2023-12-4}}</ref>

==Reactions==
The BRI has been demonized by Western [[bourgeois media]] on the basis that it's a [[Chinese_debt-trap_myth|"debt trap"]]<ref>{{News citation|title=China's debt-trap diplomacy|url=https://thehill.com/opinion/international/551337-chinas-debt-trap-diplomacy|newspaper=The Hill}}</ref> or an example of so-called "Chinese imperialism," but these claims serve only propaganda purposes and are not founded in evidence.<ref>{{News citation|title=Debunking the Myth of ‘Debt-trap Diplomacy’|url=https://www.chathamhouse.org/2020/08/debunking-myth-debt-trap-diplomacy|newspaper=Chatham House}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|title=The Chinese 'Debt Trap' Is a Myth|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2021/02/china-debt-trap-diplomacy/617953/|newspaper=The Atlantic}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|title=Catagorically Debunking the Claim that China is Imperialist|url=https://orinocotribune.com/catagorically-debunking-the-claim-that-china-is-imperialist/}}</ref> Guo Weimin, the spokesman for the initial meeting of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, called such claims, "noises" and rejected them.<ref name=":0" />

In response to concerns, the Communist Party of China has sought to improve reporting standards and transparency with their BRI projects so as to increase trust with member countries.<ref>{{News citation|title=China’s response to Belt and Road backlash|url=https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2018/12/15/chinas-response-to-belt-and-road-backlash/}}</ref>

Anti-imperialist journalist Richard Medhurst has reported that China's BRI project is helping to rebuild the economies that have been destroyed by Western wars and sanctions.<ref>{{News citation|date=2022-01-25|title=Syria Officially Joins China's Belt and Road Initiative {{!}} BRI|url=https://youtu.be/b8bFjhiwvnw}}</ref>

==References==

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[[Category:Belt and Road Initiative]]
[[Category:Pages to be protected]]