Belt and Road Weekly Investor Intelligence, #31

Tuesday, June 1, 2021

Welcome to this week’s issue of China Briefing’s Belt & Road Initiative Weekly Investor Intelligence round up.

Welcome to this week’s issue of China Briefing’s Belt & Road Initiative Weekly Investor Intelligence round up.

There have been plenty of geopolitical developments this past week. We look at how Belarus has planned for new EU sanctions and a move towards China, while neighboring Lithuania opts out of a regional China forum and courts Taiwan as an alternative.

We also examine how the United States positions its alternative Belt & Road funding in contrast to China’s lending, using the US$850 million Ethiopian 5G telecom network loans as an example.

China, meanwhile, is developing a significant intellectual hub in the center of its Greater Bay Area in South China, linking regional BRI expertise to a region with a GDP 2.5 times the size of San Francisco’s Bay and Tokyo Bay combined.

The Eurasian Economic Union has plans to develop its free trade reach – we examine the China implications of that as well as look at the global involvement of other interested nations and Russia’s trade advances in Africa.

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Heads of State Call for Acceleration of Eurasian Economic Union Alignment with China

China has signed off a Free Trade Agreement with the EAEU, however, no tariff reductions have yet been agreed. If it comes to fruition this will have huge implications for Eurasian free trade, from China to the borders of the European Union.

Eurasian Economic Union Plans More Free Trade Agreements

Longer-term benefits – including technology transfer, improved domestic productivity, and a huge China export market that the US and EU are both stepping away could be the key to a long overdue Eurasian boom.

Greater Bay Area University to be Built in Dongguan: Facts to Know

China wants to develop the GBA University into a leading world-class institution, which would facilitate both the Greater Bay Area’s development and the country’s Belt and Road Initiatives by attracting and nurturing talent and contributing to innovation and research.

Opportunities for Russian Investors in Africa

Numerous African countries have expressed interest in Free Trade Agreements with Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union. Alisa Andreevna Prokhorova, of the Russian Export Centre, offers in-depth information and statistics about Russia’s trade with Africa.

Lithuania Leaves CEEC, Plans Trade Office in Taiwan

Lithuania’s Foreign Minister opting for an alternative China market 10 times smaller, has dropped out of China’s “17+1” group and urged other EU countries to follow.

Russia-Belarus Trade Increases 18.4% in Q1 2021

Minsk’s trade position compared with Vilnius is at the opposite end of the multilateral spectrum. Belarus moves to Russia, China, and Eurasia while Lithuania moves to Germany, Taiwan, and the West.

Chinese Embassies Vaccinating Chinese Expatriates for Free

China’s Health Silk Road has been taking care of Chinese nationals overseas in a coordinated effort unmatched by other nations.

A US Belt and Road Alternative? Not While Washington Mixes Loans with Geopolitics

The Ethiopia telecom debacle shows how divisive US foreign investment policy can be when compared to the China model.

New China Plus Investment Guide: Identifying Opportunities Within the Belt & Road Initiative

This 142-page guide is a unique study into where investment opportunities are arriving within China’s Belt & Road Initiative. As infrastructure builds are completed, investment potential increases. This book discusses the complete free trade, tax, and legal aspects of the BRI as well as detailing potential pitfalls.

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