If you say so Jan but I can just as easily imagine it may have the opposite effect. People might say to themselves why spend all this money helping foreigners (and that's the way they would see it). What about us?
@cloudtrapezer: "People might say to themselves why spend all this money helping foreigners (and that's the way they would see it)."
Chinese government does not market it as foreign aid, not in same way as (for example) USA or European countries label their aid to Africa or elsewhere.
China sells it as investment, which I think it mostly is. There is expected return for those investments, that is supposed to benefit also China and therefore Chinese people.
In Africa for example, China is investing to local manufacturing and agriculture, but they reportedly require earmarking production for shipping to China. China wants to see this as win-win situation.
Jan you always want the last word but I wasn't talking about government marketing but ordinary people's perceptions. They're two entirely different things. That's my last word on this at any rate.
It is not a competition. If I want to say something, I say it. I hope others can too.
Governments have to market programs like this not only to their buyers and possible outside evaluators, but also to their own people.
You brought this question up yourself: "People might say to themselves why spend all this money helping foreigners "
People won't say such, if the government sells it to them in right way, and that is easy in country where the state controls media like it does in China. Should there be too loud opposing voices anyway, they can be quickly silenced as well.
BRI needs to be justified to Chinese people, just like western governments need to justify their foreign aid budgets or whatever investments abroad to their people.
On that note, it should be remembered that until quite recently (and still now I believe), China itself was a recipient of foreign aid both from UN and individual countries. Though it gies more foreign aid out than it receives.
Of course, especially with aid from individual countries, it can be questioned what the motives behind some of that aid is.
But BRI is not about foreign aid, it is investments with expected returns.
Today, the Malaysia PM authorized the BRI project in northern Malaysia to resume.
Construction cost reduced from 16B to 10B.
70% percent of workers will be local.
40% of civil works will be given to local contractors.
Project completion in December 2026.
Chinese tourists to Malaysia is expected to double to 6 million annually.
A win-win for most, except the snot nosed 5-eyes werewolves..
yes as capitalism doesnt have losers does it? and it is capitalism lets not hide that
Capitalism with a Chinese twist. Got to love it. A slow program to tunnel 9 more mountains to Vientiane, but who better than Chinese know-how? And then, BRI east/west Southern Corridor is good to go..Great for Yunnan..
Meanwhile, the 5-eyes werewolves are scrambling around; threatening to kill everybody unless they buy their defective war toys...bwa-haha
Do these multi-eyed werewolves speak English or Russian?
Good points by @JJ. Quid pro quo.
Will the East-West Southern Corridor through ethnic minority areas allow the autocratic and militarily violent government of 'Myanmar', now running under Aung San Su Chi, to crush hope for the future of the Karen and other ethnic groups in Burma, whom the Tatmadaw (Myanmar army) have been oppressing since 1962?
