China This interactive map tracks China’s growing maritime influence through investments in strategic overseas ports. Users can plot the location of each port and view satellite images alongside detailed information on the share of Chinese ownership, the total amount of Chinese investment, and the port’s suitability for use by the Chinese military. Tracker by Zongyuan Zoe Liu November 6, 2023 Asia Program
China High-level attendance at this year’s Belt and Road forum is down, but BRI still has support in the Global South and will be used by Beijing to strengthen the Global South as a counterweight to the U.S.-led international order. Blog Post by David Sacks October 17, 2023 Asia Unbound
Southeast Asia The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a regional organization that brings together disparate neighbors to address economic and security issues, but the group’s impact remains limited. Backgrounder by CFR.org Editors September 18, 2023
United States At the G20 summit, the United States and its partners revealed an economic corridor linking India, the Middle East, and Europe. It is premature, however, to call this a serious counterweight to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Blog Post by David Sacks September 14, 2023 Asia Unbound
Italy Italy’s withdrawal from the Belt and Road Initiative would reflect disappointment with the lack of economic benefits and a more fundamental strategic rethinking of China. Blog Post by David Sacks August 3, 2023 Asia Unbound
China One of the keys to China’s global rise has been its strategy of deploying sovereign wealth on behalf of state power. Since President Xi Jinping took office in 2013, China has doubled down on financial statecraft, making shrewd investments with the sovereign funds it has built up by leveraging its foreign exchange reserves.Sovereign Fundstells the story of how the Communist Party of China became a global financier of surpassing ambition.In Sovereign Funds, Zongyuan Zoe Liuoffers the first in-depth accountof the evolution of China’s sovereign funds, andshows how these institutions have become mechanisms not only for transforming low-reward foreign exchange reserves into investment capital but also for power projection.The CFR Fellows’ Book Launch series highlights new books by CFR fellows. Virtual Event by Zongyuan Zoe Liu and Shannon K. O'Neil June 27, 2023 CFR Fellows’ Book Launch
China Amidst accusations of “debt-trap diplomacy,” Chinese companies seek more overseas direct investment opportunities and fewer foreign contracted projects as Xi’s flagship initiative is stymied by poor risk management. Blog Post by Nadia Clark April 6, 2023 Asia Unbound
China 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. Backgrounder by James McBride , Noah Berman and Andrew Chatzky February 2, 2023
China Despite controversy surrounding the deal, the approval of a Chinese stake in Europe’s third largest port may be a smarter decision than it initially appears. Blog Post by Nadia Clark December 2, 2022 Asia Unbound
China China’s global image has deteriorated significantly in the past four years, alienating leading democracies and developing countries alike with aggressive foreign policy, economic coercion, and faltering soft power policies. Report by Joshua Kurlantzick July 20, 2022 Asia Program
China BRI should not simply be assessed by looking at China’s interests. Recipient countries matter because their geopolitical concerns and domestic interests can intersect to affect how well BRI functions. Article by Manjari Chatterjee Miller June 27, 2022 Asia Program
China To support its allies and partners in South Asia, the United States should assist South Asian countries in assessing Belt and Road Initiative risks and benefits. Report by Manjari Chatterjee Miller June 13, 2022 Asia Program