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But significant absences exist, especially among China's main diplomatic partners, such as Sri Lanka and Turkey, as well as the country's main trading partner, the United States.
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is the signature of the comprehensive infrastructure policy of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Announced for the first time in 2013, the project involves the construction of ports, roads and railways to create new trade corridors connecting China to Asia, Africa and the United States. ;Europe.
Since its launch, the Chinese government claims that at least 150 countries have signed, at least in principle. In the first half of 2019, foreign loans under the project totaled more than $ 90 billion.
But with the huge loans, it was criticized that Beijing was charging poor countries with unpayable debts to obtain a diplomatic or commercial advantage.
And it's not just international concerns that push Beijing to act. The Chinese government is also generating more and more dissension, said Richard McGregor, Senior Researcher at the Lowy Institute.
"In all the peasant, I think everyone in the Chinese government knows that it has to be recalibrated and reduced, both to take into account criticisms abroad and the potential cost to us eventually." ", did he declare.
Asian and European leaders go to Beijing
In total, more than 5,000 participants from more than 150 countries have arrived in Beijing for the three-day summit, which will end on April 27, Chinese official media reports said.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz will attend the forum, alongside Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, despite British, French and German leaders who have chosen to stay away.
In Asia, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, joined the meeting for the first time, an important addition for China given the role of the city in its role of hub of trade and partner close with the United States.
Papua New Guinea, Thailand and Brunei were also present for the first time, while Japan sent a special envoy of the Prime Minister at the last sign of warming relations.
However, not all participants are new. The Pakistani and Malaysian leaders have chosen to participate in the forum again, despite growing concerns from both countries about the cost and debt burden of China-funded investment.
McGregor said that for the pragmatic leaders, there was not much trouble getting to Beijing for a "photo opportunity".
"It does not cost them anything and could even benefit them," he said.
Notable absences
There are still a number of glaring gaps at the big event in China.
United States leaders and their close allies, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, all refused to participate.
The absence of close partners, Sri Lanka and Indonesia, and the leaders of the two countries who chose to stay away, were more worrying.
Turkish President Reccip Erdogan was another prominent participant in 2017, but his country is fiercely critical of China's detention of hundreds of thousands of Uyghur Muslims in the western region of Xinjiang.
Erdogan did not return to Beijing this year.
Debt Diplomacy
"The terms of these loans are at best opaque, and the benefits go largely to Beijing," said Pence.
But McGregor said that there was no doubt that the Chinese government was considering recalibrating its Belt and Road plan despite criticism and resistance from the international community.
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