‘Belt and Road Initiative’ is a foreign policy initiative of
- (a)China
- (b)United States of America
- (c)Canada
- (d)Japan
Correct — A, China. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), earlier called One Belt One Road, is a foreign and infrastructure policy launched by China in 2013 under President Xi Jinping. It has two arms — the overland 'Silk Road Economic Belt' and the sea-based '21st Century Maritime Silk Road' — connecting Asia with Europe and Africa. It is China's initiative, so option (a) is correct.
- (b)United States of America — The BRI is not a US programme; Washington has in fact been wary of it.
- (c)Canada — Canada is not associated with the Belt and Road Initiative.
- (d)Japan — Japan is a rival infrastructure investor in Asia, but the BRI is China's initiative, not Japan's.
The Belt and Road Initiative (2013) is China's global infrastructure and connectivity strategy. It comprises an overland Silk Road Economic Belt and a sea-based 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, aiming to link China with Asia, Europe and Africa. India has stayed out of it.
All four options are major economies, but the BRI is unambiguously China's flagship foreign-policy and connectivity project under Xi Jinping.
- The BRI was launched by China in 2013 under President Xi Jinping.
- It has two components — the overland Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.
- The China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a flagship BRI project.
- India has not joined the BRI, objecting to CPEC running through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Both arms are China's, so the Belt and Road Initiative belongs to China — option (a).
- Associating a big infrastructure push with the USA or Japan.
- Confusing the BRI with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
Attribute-the-initiative item — link the Belt and Road Initiative to the country behind it (China).
'Belt and Road Initiative' is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of
- (a) African Union
- (b) Brazil
- (c) European Union
- (d) China
Answer(d) China
Same concept — identifying the country behind the Belt and Road Initiative. Both this NDA item and the UPSC item resolve to China.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a flagship project of which initiative?
- (a)Belt and Road Initiative
- (b)Quad
- (c)BIMSTEC
- (d)SAARC
Answer(a) Belt and Road Initiative — CPEC is its flagship corridor.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Which country has declined to join the Belt and Road Initiative, citing sovereignty concerns over CPEC?
- (a)India
- (b)Pakistan
- (c)Sri Lanka
- (d)Nepal
Answer(a) India — it objects to CPEC through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.