Belt and Road Initiative and the Geopolitics of China’s Pandemic Diplomacy

Abstract

The Belt and Road Initiative launched in 2013 is widely considered as the main intercontinental development program ever. As Haralambides & Merk have noted the BRI aims to achieve greater economic integration and development through better connectivity. While the perceptions on the real aims behind China’s BRI remains widely divided, over 100 states have joined the project. The majority of the BRI projects take place regions suffer from a shortage of infrastructure investment funding. For example, the majority of the BRI projects take place in Asia and according to Asian Development Bank (ADB) statistics, US$ 1.7 trillion per year should be invested to develop infrastructure in Asia until 2030 to maintain its growth momentum, tackle poverty, and respond to climate Change.