Latest Articles about BRI

China’s Presence in the Bahamas: A Greater Role After Hurricane Dorian?
Introduction The Bahamas, an island paradise less than 60 miles off the coast of Florida, faces a long and expensive rebuild in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian. Nearly 50 percent of the Caribbean island nation’s housing has been destroyed; and its infrastructure, upon which its... MORE

“Expanding China’s Friendship Group”: The BRI’s Rhetorical Utility Amid the U.S.-China Trade War
Introduction Even before the White House applied 25 percent tariffs to $50 billion worth of Chinese imports in early April 2018, Chinese academics had argued that, in the event of a trade war between the United States and China becoming a reality, enhanced international economic... MORE

China Focuses on Iran after CPEC Setbacks in Pakistan
Introduction At the end of August, Islamic Republic of Iran (IRIN) Foreign Minister Mohammad Zarif visited Beijing for what appeared to be a routine visit. However, soon after the visit, it was reported in the media that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) had agreed... MORE

Military-Civil Fusion: Beijing’s “Guns AND Butter” Strategy to Become a Technological Superpower
Note: This article leverages previous research and analysis on China’s military-civil fusion strategy by Pointe Bello, a strategic intelligence and advisory firm specializing in China. Introduction A great gamble is underway in China, as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) attempts to introduce new concepts that... MORE

Not Really Probing the East: Romania’s Position on Chinese Investments
Bucharest’s Road to Beijing Goes through Washington As with many other Eastern and Central European nations, Romania has consistently considered its relationship with the United States to be a privileged one: a strategic partnership meant to mitigate the risks of a neighboring assertive Russia. Nonetheless,... MORE

The Belt and Road Initiative Adds More Partners, But Beijing Has Fewer Dollars to Spend
In October 2013, President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) unveiled the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), an ambitious plan to build infrastructure and improve transport connectivity in more than 60 countries across Asia and beyond. Since that time, the BRI has... MORE

Looking Beyond Commodities Exports: China Increases its Engagement with Brazil
Introduction In June 2019, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) scored a victory in its relationship with Brazil when it gained the latter country’s support for the PRC’s candidate to lead the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), over candidates put forward by France... MORE

Cognitive Domain Operations: The PLA’s New Holistic Concept for Influence Operations
Introduction As information becomes ever more central for Chinese warfighting, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is developing a new concept for psychological warfare in the information era called “cognitive domain operations” (认知域作战, renzhiyuzuozhan). [1] This next-generation evolution of psychological warfare seeks to use information to... MORE

China’s Future Naval Base in Cambodia and the Implications for India
Introduction At the 2019 Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, People’s Republic of China (PRC) Defense Minister Wei Fenghe dismissed a question on whether the PRC is seeking a future military presence in Cambodia (VOA Cambodia, June 3). This question arose following an assessment by the U.S.... MORE

Xi Jinping’s Summer Foreign Policy Tour Displays “Great Power Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics”
Introduction In the month of June, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) General Secretary Xi Jinping kept up an ambitious international travel schedule, spending nearly half the month abroad on four major trips: to Russia, Central Asia, North Korea, and the G20 Summit in Japan. Although diplomatic... MORE