Belt and Road Initiative

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) programme is a multi-trillion dollar infrastructure-building spree that spans across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa.

Hailed as the 'project of the century' by Xi Jinping, the plan fits into China's bigger narrative of expanding its economic reach globally.

If it goes to plan, the audacious BRI will cover about 65% of the world's population, and transport a quarter of all the goods and services in the world.

The whole of Eurasia could essentially become China's economic zone. BRI would also alter global trade routes and anchor the world's centre of economic gravity in Asia, if not specifically China.