belt-and-road | ABS-CBN News

Zambia cancels US$1.6B Chinese loans to avoid debt crisis

Jevans Nyabiage, South China Morning Post
Updated as of Aug 02 12:58 PM

Zambia has canceled US$1.6 billion in agreed upon but not-disbursed Chinese loans, mostly from China Exim Bank and the Industrial Commercial Bank of China, to help manage its debt woes. Read more »

China's Belt and Road's 'hidden cost' is forced labor: US report

Kyodo News
Posted at Jul 20 09:29 AM

The U.S. State Department highlighted the use of forced labor in China's Belt and Road infrastructure project in its annual human trafficking report. Read more »

US to launch global infra project to counter China

Kyodo News
Posted at Jun 17 09:58 AM

The US will launch a global infrastructure partnership at the G-7 summit in Germany later this month to provide an alternative to China's Belt and Road Initiative. Read more »

EU wants to rival China’s belt and road in Africa

Jevans Nyabiage, South China Morning Post
Posted at Feb 07 01:47 PM

The EU's plans for the upcoming Africa summit in Brussels include the launch of an ‘ambitious’ package, after its Global Gateway pledge to mobilize up to €300 billion. But divisions within the bloc on how much and what to fund risk reducing it all to a simple rebranding of existing project allocations, observers warn. Read more »

Laos opens scenic railway built on a mountain of Chinese debt

Lisa Martin and Pathom Sangwongwanich, Agence France-Presse
Updated as of Dec 20 06:37 AM

Laos opened a new $6 billion rail link with China to much fanfare this month, but analysts warn the government faces a potential debt crisis. Read more »

Laos opens $6-B Chinese-built railway line

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Dec 03 07:50 AM

Laos is set to open a $6 billion Chinese-built railway on Friday, with debt concerns balanced against hopes it could boost the nation's struggling economy. Read more »

Laos hopes for economic boost from Chinese-built railway

Lisa Martin and Pathom Sangwongwanich, Agence France-Presse
Posted at Nov 28 12:14 PM

A new $6 billion Chinese-built railway line opens in Laos this week, bringing hopes of an economic boost to the reclusive nation. Read more »

US eyes January rollout of first projects vs China's Belt and Road

Andrea Shalal, Reuters
Updated as of Nov 09 08:15 AM

The United States plans to invest in five to 10 large infrastructure projects around the world in January as part of a broader initiative to counter China's Belt and Road Initiative. Read more »

China's Belt and Road plans losing momentum -study

David Stanway, Reuters
Posted at Sep 29 05:39 PM

China's vast Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is in danger of losing momentum as opposition in targeted countries rises and debts mount. Read more »

Asia has wary welcome for G7's answer to China's Belt and Road

Bernadette Christina and Aradhana Aravindan, Reuters
Posted at Jun 17 05:25 PM

JAKARTA/SINGAPORE - A plan by the Group of Seven nations to counter Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative has been welcomed by countries in China's immediate orbit of influence but will need to overcome doubts about Western commitment to emerging market projects. Read more »

Anything you can do: G7 rivals China with grand infrastructure plan

Steve Holland and Guy Faulconbridge, Reuters
Posted at Jun 13 03:12 PM

The Group of Seven richest democracies sought on Saturday to counter China's growing influence by offering developing nations an infrastructure plan that could rival President Xi Jinping's multi-trillion-dollar Belt and Road initiative. Read more »

Samoa's disputed leader promises Chinese-backed port at a third of the cost

Jonathan Barrett, Reuters
Posted at Jun 10 08:01 AM

SYDNEY - Samoa's disputed leader is promising to build a port with Chinese help for $100 million, about a third of the cost proposed earlier, said sources with knowledge of the situation, as he bids to stay in power despite losing a parliamentary majority in a tight election. Read more »

China’s belt and road plan: Can the US find an alternative route?

Jevans Nyabiage, South China Morning Post
Posted at May 02 09:17 AM

US President Joe Biden is keen for democracies to create a rival infrastructure development initiative, but observers say he’ll struggle to pull it off. Previous efforts by Washington and its allies have been ‘sporadic and disaggregated in terms of their strategic coherence’, academic says. Read more »

China’s Belt and Road projects face climate change challenges

Jacob Fromer, South China Morning Post
Posted at Apr 24 01:15 PM

Beijing has countless projects as part of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) global infrastructure plan, but experts have warned of their vulnerability to the costly consequences of climate change, including migration pressures, political unrest and rising sea levels.   Read more »

Australia cancels state deals on China's Belt and Road over 'national interest'

Kirsty Needham, Reuters
Posted at Apr 22 09:30 AM

SYDNEY - Australia said a decision to cancel two deals between Victoria state and China on the Belt and Road Initiative was about ensuring consistency in foreign relations and was not aimed at any country. Read more »

China rejects US top diplomat's challenge to its ‘near-Arctic nation’ claim

William Langley, South China Morning Post
Posted at Jan 07 03:43 AM

US secretary of state on Monday tweeted that Beijing’s declaration was a "communist fiction". Read more »

China’s Belt and Road Initiative faces fresh challenge from Australian laws on investment deals

Keegan Elmer in Beijing, South China Morning Post
Updated as of Dec 10 12:37 PM

The legislation passed by Canberra could derail projects linked to China’s international connectivity scheme. China’s foreign ministry says it hopes Australia will behave in an ‘objective and rational manner’. Read more »

U.S., Taiwan to team up on infrastructure in pushback against China

Reuters
Posted at Sep 30 10:01 PM

TAIPEI - The United States and Taiwan will work together on infrastructure projects in the Indo-Pacific region and Latin America, officials said on Wednesday, in an implicit pushback for China's own massive regional investment plans.   Read more »

Chinese projects in PH to continue, envoy says

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Sep 01 09:25 PM

MANILA - All China-led projects in the Philippines will continue as planned, its envoy to Manila said Tuesday, despite a US sanction on Chinese firms' involvement in the militarization of the disputed South China Sea. Read more »

Virus slows China's major projects in Asia

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Feb 28 03:07 PM

The outbreak that emerged in China in late December and spread to dozens of countries has cut off the Chinese labor supplies and equipment imports needed to keep major infrastructure projects running.   Read more »