After the pandemic, as Chinese state-backed lending to developing countries largely dried up, critics declared the Belt and Road Initiative effectively dead. They were wrong. This year, China's financial engagement with BRI countries reached another record, driven by larger deals, private companies, green energy, and a growing focus on industrial development.

Chinese firms are increasingly investing in processing, manufacturing, batteries, and other higher-value activities rather than focusing primarily on infrastructure and resource extraction. According to the latest data from the Green Finance & Development Center, BRI engagement reached its highest level for any first six months since the initiative launched in 2013.

Christoph Nedopil, lead author of the report and a professor at the University of Queensland, joins Eric to discuss how the BRI is evolving, including changes in how projects are financed, where capital is deployed, and which industries are attracting Chinese investment.

📌 Topics Covered in This Episode

🌏 Record-breaking BRI engagement
💰 New financing models
🏗️ Return of mega-deals
⚡ Green energy expansion
⛏️ Shift from extraction to processing
🌍 Africa's BRI surge

Show Notes:

Green Development Finance Center: China's investment and construction engagement in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) 2026 H1
Financial Times: China pours funding into green energy deals as Iran war hits oil demand by Edward White
Semafor: Chinese investments in Africa soar to $34 billion so far this year by Yinka Adegoke

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China's BRI Is Bigger Than Ever. It Just Looks Very Different

The China-Global South Podcast

China's BRI Is Bigger Than Ever. It Just Looks Very Different