BRI projects are slow, but lending rises
- In the first half of 2022, China’s investments and contracts in 147 countries amounted to $28.4 billion
- China’s investments in infrastructure projects under its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) have declined while Beijing’s short and medium-term assistance to partner countries is increasing.
Highlights
- Of this, $11.8 billion was through investments and $16.5 billion through project contracts.
- This marked a decline from $48.5 billion in the same period in 2019.
- Since the launch of the BRI in 2013, the report estimated China’s total engagement at $932 billion, with $561 billion in construction contracts and the rest in other investments.
The report noted three clear trends in the BRI:
- A growing role for Chinese State-owned Enterprises;
- The average size for project deals falling, from $558 million in 2021 to $325 million last year;
- An increasingly uneven spread of engagement.
Prelims Take Away
- BRI
- India China border issues