China ‘One Belt, One Road’ used for military base expansion, critics say
The Washington Times http://www.washingtontimes.com
China’s ambitious “Belt and Road†global financing strategy is sporting its first serious potholes, as backlash from smaller nations across Asia mounts amid frustration over opaque and predatory lending practices and white-elephant infrastructure projects that analysts say mask Beijing’s attempt to expand its political and economic sway across the region.
While Chinese President Xi Jinping and his aides tout the One Belt, One Road initiative as a benevolent, win-win offer of financing and technical expertise from a rising global power for vitally needed infrastructure projects in Asia, Africa and the developing world, growing skepticism about the Chinese project from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and others tells a different story.
“In the past month, China has had brutal wake-up calls from governments it thought it could manipulate through its massive checkbook,†said Humphrey Hawksley, author of the recent book “Asian Waters: The Struggle Over the South China Sea and the Strategy of Chinese Expansion.â€
Read more at: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/sep/11/china-one-belt-one-road-used-military-base-expansi/
See that book title above. I'd like to hear from people really in the know on this.
