China’s Belt and Road initiative (BRI) is set to transform a large part of the world. First proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, this long-term project is among the most ambitious ever conceived. It covers 65 countries (representing 60% of the world’s population and 30% of global GDP), including not just China’s nearest neighbours but also countries in South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and even Central and Eastern Europe. BRI land corridors are known as the belt and include the development of overland roads, bridges, tunnels, rail routes, oil and natural gas pipelines, and other infrastructure ... (full story)