What is the Belt and Road initiative? | CNBC Explains

The Belt and Road initiative is China’s foreign policy initiative, but what do we know about this giant plan so far? CNBC’s Xin En Lee finds out how the plan is developing.

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[oldshoes]

2:06

"It's been dubbed the World's Emptiest International Airport."

Shows a picture of Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium.

[lkgpuanimho]

CNBC, please give Xin En some funding, so she can travel around the world like other presenters. It's not fair to her that other presenters can travel but she has to stay in Singapore

[chfgbp]

Evil chicom. How dare they offer money and infrastructure? Why cant they just send bombs, wars and refugees like normal countries???

[miriamaisingioro]

The US is playing Call of Duty, while China is playing CIVILIZATION

[DanBurgaud]

I prefer the Bomb and Destroy Initiative... It is more fruitful.

[Leurockit]

US: oh this is a debt trap!!! you should buy some weapons from us.

[zeissiez]

I’m from Malaysia. China has traded with Malaysia for 2000 years. In those years, they have been world’s biggest power many times. Never once they sent troops to this region. In 16th, 17th, 18th centuries, the Portuguese, Dutch and British came, we were colonized by each. The presence of China’s power is welcomed in this region. It provides economic benefits. It also enrich cultural experience in the region. We are not afraid of China being powerful in the region, we welcome the rise of China. China don't export ideology, they don't export chaos.

[MGZetta]

*6% loan from the west*
West: Look at how good we are helping people in need
*2% loan from China where sometimes the payment is forgiven*
West: That is a debt trap.

Me:

[alanOHALAN]

A little check and balance is fine, but China is helping their economy in the longer run for sure. It is a win-win, you can't lose on building roads. Roads allow development and trade.

[arpitchhabra]

Chinese money is used to build infrastructure using chinese material and employing chinese people.
So in a way you are importing infrastructure worth billions.

[lahore_fort]

i am a Pakistani i wanna be the part of future Superpower China...nothing serious about China Debt trap in Pakistan...

[miriamaisingioro]

When you plan to build infrastructure, regardless if it is in the US or in Africa or both, you need STEEL and CEMENT. Here are the figures: "China's share of global crude steel production increased from 53.3% in 2019 to 56.5% in 2020. India's crude steel production for 2020 was 99.6 Mt, down by 10.6% on 2019. Japan produced 83.2 Mt in 2020, down 16.2% on 2019." The US produces 10% of what China produces at 81 Mt. As for Cement: "China produces the most cement globally by a large margin, at an estimated 2.2 billion metric tons in 2020, followed by India at 340 million metric tons in the same year. China currently produces over half of the world's cement." SIMPLY PUT: "The US is in no position to compete with China with their B3W initiative."

The US and her allies already have a very successful BRI program. It is called Bomb and Ruin Initiative. Warships, warplanes and missiles will flatten your country into parking lots in no time. Look how beautiful Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen and Syria are. Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia were the earlier beneficiaries of America's BRI.

The US is playing Call of Duty, while China is playing CIVILIZATION

[bunnyfreakz]

China will always become big country whether communist, facism, monarch or capitalist.


But China is always a society where authoritarian can co exist with capitalism system since ancient silk road.

[chengyangooi]

Please ask your bank give you free loan without payback and collateral before critic China for debt trap...

[xboxgamer]

Anyone know where Xin En Lee went? All her social media has been inactive for a few years. She's such a great host and really enjoy her presentations. Hopes she's doing well 🙌

[jhonkabir]

1:19 it's not Kolkata it is Chittagong.
!!Correct your records in map!!
And stop giving people half truths and half lies.

[homan]

Eh where are the positives of the Belt and Road project ? Surely there must be some positives or why did 100 or more countries signed up for it ? Do those countries all have idiots or are all their leaders corrupt ? Those are the questions any thinking person would ask .We all already know the Chinese are not investing trillions just to be nice but how about the massive growth figures in Africa, how about the transformation of middle Asian and Eastern European economies ?

We all know the Chinese has the most to gain if this project is successful but that’s only right since they are putting their money into where their mouths are, they are taking the risk . There are many faults in such a huge undertaking but the Chinese government are addressing those faults, renegotiations on debts which they don’t need to do and restructuring infrastructure projects aligned more to the needs of the local people which they don’t need to either since the contracts are already signed and sealed.

Sure China is projecting their power through the BRI but don’t we prefer a great power to project power through trade rather then through wars, don’t we all want prosperity and opportunities rather then misery and death ? There is a positive wind of change in the world with the rise of China for the citizens of the world . Don’t fall for these glossy propaganda videos made by people who sees the world where in order for them to be rich many has to be poor . The new way is in order for us to be rich everyone else has to be rich too .

[themiddlekingdom]

"Debts Trap ?" who put the money onto those projects ? Who are taking the most risks ? The people along with Belt and Road Initial have roads, bridges, ports and so on to use; otherwise, those areas have nothing., nothing.

[janakakumara]

"Hide Your Strengths and Bite Your Time" - very wise words for a national leader, who is clearly playing the long game.

[leungpaul]

Now in 2021 G7 summit, they wanna to copy BRI.