Belt and Road Initiative

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI or B&R), also known as the One Belt One Road (Chinese: 一带一路; pinyin: Yīdài Yīlù) and sometimes called the New Silk Road, is a global infrastructure and economic development strategy of the government of China since 2013. Projects in over 150 countries include ports, railways, highways, power stations, aviation, and telecommunications.

The initiative was launched by Chinese Communist Party (CCP) general secretaryXi Jinping in 2013 while visiting Kazakhstan. It aims to invest in over 150 countries and international organizations through six overland economic corridors and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. The BRI is central to China's foreign policy and economy. Overland transport routes include the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, the Eurasian Land Bridge, and the New Eurasian Land Bridge. Maritime projects under the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road include the ports of Hambantota, Sri Lanka; Gwadar, Pakistan; and Piraeus, Greece. BRI has exported China's high-speed rail, such as in the Boten–Vientiane and Jakarta-Bandung lines.

As of 2025, participating countries account for nearly 75% of the world's population and over half of global GDP, based on aggregated membership and international economic datasets. The initiative is widely described as having the potential to enhance global trade, connectivity, and economic growth, particularly in developing economies. At the same time, it has been associated with concerns regarding environmental impact, human rights and governance standards, debt sustainability, and the dual-use nature of certain infrastructure projects.