The visit of Nepal's prime minister to Beijing saw a flurry of bilateral cooperation agreements signed. But no one mentioned China's controversial new map, and questions remain over the details of China’s infrastructure investment in the landlocked nation.
China wants to "tell its story well," but is that possible in a region where Sinophobia runs deep?
The BRI is a complex, catchall brand that covers a diffuse array of strategic goals. But if we were forced to identify one, single driving force behind the Belt and Road Initiative, it would be Chinese state-owned enterprises and their pursuit of revenue.
Italy was the only G7 country to become a part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative when it joined in 2019. But Rome has signaled it will likely exit the deal, in a move that will likely anger Beijing.
China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng is in Pakistan talking up cooperation. But Pakistan’s fragile government in Islamabad also has to deal with local resentments at Beijing’s massive infrastructure projects, and its own complicated relationship with Washington.
Gulzar Imam is only one of many armed separatist leaders unhappy at China’s extraction of Balochistan’s natural resources.
Western critics of China have put a lot of scrutiny on Confucius Institutes, saying these schools of language and culture create CCP “echo chambers” that disseminate political ideology. But Beijing’s global education strategy is a lot more comprehensive than a network of CIs — and a lot less sinister.
G7 leaders and their counterparts from guest nations took a stand to counter China during their summit in Hiroshima, Japan. Meanwhile, at a separate summit, Xi Jinping announced grand plans to build up China’s engagement in Central Asia.
A Chinese state-owned company has controlled a lead and zinc mine in Duddar in Pakistan’s Balochistan Province since 2014. The mine gives steady work to some locals, paying around $100 a month, which is good for the impoverished area. Other residents just feel exploited.
The port of Gwadar is once again the scene of protests against Chinese-funded infrastructure. Locals say they are not seeing any benefits and have to endure too many security checkpoints to get around their own town.