China has commenced a three day forum on its signature global infrastructure policy, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Reportedly over 5,000 delegates from 150 countries have arrived in Beijing to take part in talks concerning the future of the BRI. Since 2013, the BRI has invested roughly $90 billion in overseas loans for infrastructure projects. These investments aim to develop new trade corridors via the construction of roads, railways and ports, linking China to Africa, Europe, and the rest of Asia. During his address to the forum, President Xi Jinping emphasized the inclusion of environmental protection efforts, increased transparency of overseas investments, and a more open domestic market.
While supporters of the BRI applaud the massive investments toward developing infrastructure, critics of the BRI believe that China is using the initiative as a debt trap to gain geopolitical leverage. Notably, several of China's key trade partners, such as the United States, Turkey, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka, were absent from the forum.
