Building a Better BRI

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) can be considered something like China’s Marshall Plan — a transcontinental development effort estimated to be worth more than $1 trillion comprised of infrastructure projects in more than 70 countries. Launched by President Xi Jinping in 2013, the BRI has been plagued by controversies over unsustainable debt, environmental damage, corruption, and local opposition.

Challenges or not, China isn’t going to abandon the BRI. So how can Beijing make it work better?

In a major new report from the Asia Society Policy Institute, a task force headed by ASPI Vice President Daniel Russel developed a series of actionable recommendations for how China can build a better BRI that generates mutually beneficial outcomes for every country involved. You can download the report here. Russel explores these findings in a piece for Bloomberg Opinion.

Download the Report

CURRENT AFFAIRS

Hong Kong Erupts in Protest

An estimated one million demonstrators filled Hong Kong’s streets over the weekend to protest a government plan that would allow extraditions from the territory to mainland China. The ongoing protests — the largest in Hong Kong since 2003 — are the latest signs of tension between the Chinese Communist Party and its special autonomous region, which is governed by separate political, economic, and legal systems.

Last month, Hong Kong politicians Martin Lee and Nathan Law and journalist Mak Yin-Ting discussed the relationship between the territory and China at Asia Society New York — watch the complete video here. And in an Asia Society appearance in 2018, former chief secretary of Hong Kong Anson Chan described Hong Kong’s eroding sense of autonomy.

Watch

CURRENT AFFAIRS

Ten Influential Asian American Politicians To Watch

Asian Americans have emerged as a greater force in American politics, comprising an increasingly large — and vocal — share of the electorate as well as occupying leadership positions. In Asia Blog, Matt Schiavenza presents 10 Asian Pacific American politicians to watch, including presidential candidates, members of Congress, and key government officials.

On June 17, two members of New York state’s congressional delegation, Grace Meng and Andrew Kim, will participate in a conversation with Asia Society’s Tom Nagorski. You can watch the live webcast starting at 8:30 a.m. here.

Read

ETC.

Asia Society Voices in the News

Daniel Russel appeared on the popular podcast Pod Save the World, where he discussed a wide range of foreign policy subjects with Tommy Vietor and Ben Rhodes.
Wendy Cutler commented on China’s decision to apply a $24 million fine against Ford Motor’s local joint venture partner in the Nikkei Asian Review. Cutler was also quoted in this South China Morning Post piece assessing whether the European Union should join the CPTPP trade agreement.
Orville Schell discussed the legacy of Tiananmen Square with Minxin Pei and Nick Schifrin for the PBS NewsHour.

UPCOMING EVENTS

The bestselling author Parag Khanna will discuss his new book The Future Is Asian with Ronnie Chan in Hong Kong on June 13.
Anna Fifield, Washington Post’s Beijing bureau chief and an Asia 21 Young Leader, presents her new book on Kim Jong Un, The Great Successor, at Asia Society New York on June 13. The discussion between Fifield and Daniel Russel will be webcast here.
NPR correspondent Frank Langfitt talks about what he learned during a stint as a Shanghai taxi driver with Asia Society Northern California’s Margaret Conley on June 18 in San Francisco.

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