
Beijing will continue to make strides in Southeast Asia. But the region's countries will have just as much say over the progress and direction of its many initiatives as does the Chinese government.
Beijing will continue to make strides in Southeast Asia. But the region's countries will have just as much say over the progress and direction of its many initiatives as does the Chinese government.
Despite its goal to foster integration throughout Eurasia, Beijing has so far emphasized bilateral or subregional agreements with its Belt and Road projects in Europe, an approach that has raised the suspicions of the bloc's central powers.
South Asia is rife with opportunity for Beijing. But unless it can persuade India to join its Belt and Road Initiative, it will struggle to fully realize its goals in the region.
Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative has earned comparisons to the Marshall Plan for its ambitious, multinational scope. But the program is as much about developing the country's interior as it is forging ties beyond its borders.