China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a strategy initiated by the People's Republic of China that seeks to connect Asia with Africa and Europe via land and maritime networks with the aim of improving regional integration, increasing trade and stimulating economic growth. The name was coined in 2013 by China's President Xi Jinping, who drew inspiration from the concept of the Silk Road established during the Han Dynasty 2000 years ago. The BRI has also been referred to in the past as 'One Belt One Road'. The BRI comprises a Silk Road Economic Belt - a trans - Continental passage that links China with South East Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, Russia, & Europe by land - and a 21st century Maritime Silk Road, a sea route connecting China's coastal regions with South East and South Asia, the South Pacific, the Middle East & Eastern Africa, all the way to Europe. The BRI has been associated with a very large programme of investments in infrastructure development for roads, ports, railways & airports. The BRI is an increasingly important umbrella mechanism for China's bilateral trade with BRI partners. As of December 2021, the number of countries that have joined the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China is 142.
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