The Economist: What’s in It for Belt-and-Road Countries?

Trade flourished in Central Asia until shipping routes became faster and more affordable than the Silk Road’s land routes: “many Eurasian hubs floundered,” reports the Economist. The leaders of China and many governments expect that infrastructure investments of the Belt and Road Initiative could revive the region as transport routes. But the Economist questions if the flow of trade will be one way with the region receiving Chinese exports. China also supplies the workers, so countries do not experience immediate job creation though some neighbors like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have increased trade. So far, China has underwritten more than $900 billion in loans in more than 70 countries, some already in heavy debt. For some countries, the loan payments and costs of infrastructure maintenance could curtail prosperity. – YaleGlobal