International Politics

[Potato]

More belt and road misery

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-66981742.amp

China has become the largest creditor and a crucial source of investment for many developing countries since the BRI's inception and many of Pakistan's neighbours in South Asia are now finding themselves in the crosshairs as it evolves.

"Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh saw the BRI after 2013 as an opportunity to diversify options and attract much needed imports and investments to modernise their economies," said Constantino Xavier, fellow in Foreign Policy and Security Studies at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress in Delhi.

"Today, however, the grass is looking less green... in Nepal, China has begun to interfere in political affairs; in Sri Lanka, China has converted unsustainable infrastructure investments into long term leases impinging on sovereignty; and in Bangladesh it is becoming apparent that China's promised grants are in effect costly loans."