This is apropos a letter to the Editor titled ‘Trump’s strategy to counter China’s BRI: too little, too late’ by this writer carried by the newspaper yesterday. According to media reports, Senators John Cornyn and Todd Young warned that the BRI has expanded China’s influence across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, with over 150 countries now part of the initiative, many of which are struggling with unsustainable debt burdens.

They noted that China provides large-scale infrastructure loans with opaque terms, and when countries fail to meet repayment obligations, Beijing seizes control of critical assets such as ports, railways, and energy infrastructure, effectively making these nations financially and politically subservient to Chinese interests. The senators called for a robust counter-strategy to curb China’s economic coercion and reassert US influence in global infrastructure and development financing.

Senators Maria Cantwell and Bill Cassidy further warned that China’s BRI projects often involve exploitative labor practices, where Chinese firms and workers dominate construction contracts, leaving little long-term benefit for local economies. To counter this, they advocated for stronger US trade and investment partnerships that prioritize local job creation and economic sustainability.

They proposed expanding US-backed alternatives, such as the Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and the G7’s Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII), to offer more transparent and sustainable financing options to emerging economies. Instead of relying solely on public funds, they suggested that the US encourage private-sector-led investments in infrastructure projects in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, providing a viable alternative to China’s state-backed lending.

Qamar Bashir

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025