The American response to China's Belt and Road Initiative

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), launched by China in 2013, seeks to improve the connectivity between China and the rest of Asia, the Middle East, and now Africa and Europe, through investment in transportation, communication, and energy infrastructure. From an economic perspective, it has the potential to promote the development of many countries around the world. From a political perspective, the initiative reflects the projection of China’s influence into surrounding regions, in the service of its strategic interests and the consolidation of its emerging position as a world power. However, the details of some of the projects, their political implications, and the ways in which they have been financed have proven controversial. This event will both assess the BRI and examine the American response. This program is organized in collaboration with UVA's East Asia Center and UVa's “Assessment of China’s Belt and Road Initiative” project, which brings together an interdisciplinary group of faculty members who share an interest in the BRI.