Written by Kevin Williams | October 22, 2023
Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed the past successes of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) at a forum in Beijing on Wednesday. Attendees represented 140 countries, mostly from the Global South. This marks the first major international event in China since its emergence from strict COVID-19 lockdowns. President Xi also delivered sharp criticism against those who seek economic decoupling, stating ‘we stand against unilateral sanctions, decoupling, and supply chain disruptions…viewing others’ development as a threat or taking economic interdependence as a risk will not make one’s own life better or speed up one’s development.” President Xi’s criticisms against sanctions were likely well received by Russia’s President Putin who was in attendance.
The forum also saw the Chinese announce easing of investment restrictions as a way to attract more international trade. These commitments come as China experiences a 25 year low in foreign investment. Despite Chinese announcements of BRI investment projects during the forum, data from the American Enterprise Institute, an American think tank, shows BRI investments decreasing.
The Patterson Journal of International Affairs 
Leave a comment