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Belt and Road: 2023 Forum

Belt and Road: 2023 Forum
The initiative spearheaded by the Chinese government and endorsed by President Xi Jinping in late 2013 aims to improve trade and economic integration across Asia, Europe, and Africa.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu speaks at the Belt and Road tax forum in Hong Kong on September 24, 2024. Photo: Enoch Yiu
Banking & finance

Hong Kong, Turkey agree to avoid double taxation in boost for trade

Turkey is among Hong Kong’s 30 top trading partners and a key country in Belt and Road Initiative, government says.

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Xi Jinping

Xi Jinping will visit Serbia this year, says its leader Vucic

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Belt and Road Initiative

Opinion | How the US can counter China’s belt and road forays in the Indo-Pacific

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Technology

Opinion | China is on track to be world AI leader by 2030, with Hong Kong’s help

China’s AI market, firms and tech are growing strongly, while the regulatory climate is maturing. Hong Kong can contribute by providing AI talent and funding.

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A woman stands in front of a poster during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on July 6 last year. Photo: AFP
Vietnam

Opinion | Vietnam warms towards Belt and Road Initiative as Laos, Cambodia reap benefits

Vietnam’s access to financing by Japan and South Korea, as well as public distrust in China, are factors why it does not host any flagship belt and projects.

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US-China relations

Opinion | US should join China in building a better Global South, not hinder it

Through the Belt and Road Initiative and trade, China is contributing to the development of the Global South. US efforts to counter China’s influence, on the other hand, are anachronistic and misguided.

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Diplomacy

Opinion | Why China is prioritising politics over economic interests in the Middle East

Beijing has avoided calling Hamas terrorists despite Chinese being victims of the attack, as well as its experiences in Xinjiang and massive investments in Israel. Seemingly, it has accepted that its growing role in the Middle East will have an economic cost.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
China's economic recovery

Explainer | Li Keqiang, GDP, belt and road forum: 8 things from China’s economy in October

Former premier Li Keqiang died in October, while the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation took place and China confirmed its economy grew by 4.9 per cent in the third quarter, year on year.

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Belt and Road Initiative

Opinion | Belt and road’s focus on hard infrastructure to stay, whatever Beijing says

A professed shift in focus from hard infrastructure to ‘institutional connectivity’ is laudable but unlikely. The open nature of the belt and road deters efforts to shape it into a more binding platform, and Chinese companies are likely to cement their foothold in the industry by building more, not less.

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Belt and Road Initiative

Macroscope | The West should work with China to build infrastructure – not against it

As the West starts to find its feet with financing for its infrastructure, it would be a pity if the largesse was used to compete with China, when the global scale of the challenge calls for cooperation.

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The city of Almaty, in Kazakhstan, from where the China-Kazakhstan (Lianyungang) logistics cooperation base was launched in 2014 as the first belt and road project. It has since become an important platform for products from Central Asian countries to reach seaports. Photo: Xinhua
Belt and Road Initiative

‘Vested interests’: why China is backing Taliban regime in Afghanistan

China needs neighbouring Afghanistan to remain relatively stable, and sees the Taliban as providing that option, while invites to China-led forums such as the belt and road summit are a ‘low-cost way to signal support’, observers say.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
Belt and Road Initiative

‘Huge potential’: China looks to belt and road to feed demand for minerals

With export controls already put in place by the West over semiconductors and other necessary components for the development of its tech industry, China is making strides in finding other paths to keep up supplies of the minerals it needs to produce and innovate at scale.

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Belt and Road Initiative

China puts best foot forward at ‘milestone’ belt and road forum

In this issue of the Global Impact newsletter, we look back at the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which marked the 10th anniversary of the initiative.

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Belt and Road Initiative

Opinion | Abundant belt and road opportunities await Hong Kong, but is it ready?

Hong Kong can contribute substantially to the growing success of the Belt and Road Initiative and boost the city’s recovering economy – but first, it needs a concrete plan of action.

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Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee speaks at the Belt and Road CEO conference in Beijing on October 17. President Xi Jinping has called it the “project of the century”. Photo: Bloomberg
China-Russia relations

Russia’s sanctioned VTB Bank wants to build big ships with China, CEO says

CEO Andrey Kostin expects to see broader use of China’s yuan in the global financial system to help offset the impact of international backlash following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

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Russia’s VTB Bank (pictured) intends to build cooperation with China. Photo: AFP
Belt and Road Initiative

Inside Out | China’s focus on peaceful development in stark contrast to West’s outlook

While the US, Europe and Western media were distracted by Ukraine and Israel’s war in Gaza, China brought together leaders from the Global South to celebrate 10 years of the Belt and Road Initiative. This showcased Beijing’s commitment to building infrastructure in the name of peace and development.

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China-Russia relations

China and Russia supercharge trade with record US$25 billion grain order

Economic cooperation between the neighbours continues to be ramped up as poor ties with Western countries and the war in Ukraine have restricted trade and stalled supply chains.

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Belt and Road Initiative

Xi calls for ceasefire in Israel-Gaza war, says two-state solution is ‘way out’

Chinese president also says Beijing is willing to work with Arab countries for ‘comprehensive, just, and lasting solution’ to the crisis.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping said it was crucial to prevent the conflict from “expanding or even getting out of control”. Photo: Kyodo
Belt and Road Initiative

Opinion | China steps up climate fight with belt and road green finance partnership

This new partnership can match the fresh capital China is injecting into the Belt and Road Initiative with blended financing to identify and develop green projects in developing countries.

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China trade

‘Ironclad friend’: China-Serbia ties strengthen with landmark trade deal

Despite efforts from the European Union to unite the continent in moving its economies away from China, Serbia has signed a major free-trade agreement and cemented bilateral ties even further.

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China’s military

Did China’s top general signal a restart in Beijing’s military diplomacy?

Zhang Youxia, China’s most senior military officer, met Serbia’s defence chief in a sign that the country’s military diplomacy could be normalising.

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China’s Central Military Commission’s first vice-chairman, General Zhang Youxia (right), meets Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Milos Vucevic on Tuesday in Beijing. Photo: Handout
Belt and Road Initiative

Why China is turning to sci-tech in new action plan to boost belt and road

China’s president unveils a vision for the infrastructure strategy that could help other countries overcome Western restrictions.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the importance of “advancing scientific and technological innovation” through cooperation with other belt and road partners. Photo: EPA-EFE
Belt and Road Initiative

Editorial | Xi leaves no doubt belt and road plan will lead to further prosperity, stability

China’s president points way forward at forum for partners of initiative with pledges on investment, infrastructure and economic development in the face of US containment efforts.

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Diplomacy

Xi signals China will stay the course with belt and road pledges

The Chinese leader pledged the equivalent of US$107 billion over the next five years, matching a commitment given over the same timescale in 2017.

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Belt and Road Initiative

Views on Xi’s ‘unique alternative’ split along geopolitical lines

Belt and road forum marked 10 years of a strategy that has been criticised by many developed economies. Reactions have been divided, with focus on China’s embrace of Russia’s Putin

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Xi Jinping greets Vladimir Putin at the belt and road forum in Beijing on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters
Belt and Road Initiative

‘Highly complementary’: China, Russia lay out plans for regional integration

At the high-profile Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, the leaders of China and Russia put forward complementary blueprints for the future of infrastructure development in Eurasia.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin is welcomed by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, China, October 17, 2023. Photo: Reuters
China-Russia relations

Xi and Putin discuss Gaza crisis and Ukraine war at belt and road forum meeting

Chinese President Xi Jinping vows to defend ‘fairness and justice’ as he and Russian leader meet for first time since start of Israel-Hamas war, while Putin says ‘external factors’ and ‘common threats’ will strengthen Moscow’s ties with Beijing.

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Belt and Road Initiative

China launches AI framework, urges equal AI rights for all nations

The Global AI Governance Initiative was announced a day after the US’ latest ban seeking to restrict China’s access to advanced chips and chipmaking tools.

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