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Trump’s Economic Era
from 61 international organizations attended the Belt
and Road forum in Beijing China. President Trump sent
someone from the National Security Council to the
meeting. Out of this meeting emerged the Belt and
Road Initiative, sometimes referred to as the New Silk
Road. The belt refers to an overland transport link
across China to Asia and Europe, and the road refers to
a network of maritime routes connecting China with the
middle east, North Africa, and Europe.
China has pledged $900 billion to build roads,
railroads, and sea routes to connect 64 countries in Asia
and Europe; this would represent about 60% of the
world’s population and 30 percent of global GDP. For
example, the Pakistani town of Gwadar was until
recently filled with the dust-colored cinderblock houses
of about 50,000 fishermen. Ringed by cliffs, desert, and
the Arabian Sea, it was at the forgotten edge of the
earth. Now it’s one centerpiece of China’s “Belt and
Road” initiative, and the town has transformed as a
result.
Funding for the Belt and Road Initiative will come
from the Asian Infrastructure Bank and the Silk Road
Fund. China is selling U.S. securities and divesting in
America while putting the money into the new Belt and
Road project. China holds $1.2 trillion in U.S. debt,
according to the Treasury Department data, which is
roughly 18% of American held debt by foreign holders.
China is financing as much as $8 trillion in deals in 68
countries winding through Asia, Africa, and Europe.
The initiative will put many countries in debt to the
Chinese.
The Chinese have supported this Eurasian
centered development process, and most of the world is
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