China’s Massive Belt and Road Initiative
China’s colossal infrastructure investments may usher in a new era of trade and growth for economies in Asia and beyond. But skeptics worry that China is laying a debt trap for borrowing governments. WRITTEN BY Andrew Chatzky and James McBride UPDATED Last updated January 28, 2020 Summary The Belt and Road Initiative, reminiscent of the Silk Road, is a massive infrastructure project that would stretch from East Asia to Europe. Some analysts see the project as a disturbing expansion of Chinese power, and the United States has struggled to offer a competing vision. The initiative has stoked opposition in some countries involved in Belt and Road that have taken on high levels of debt.