Belt and Road Weekly Investor Intelligence #87

There have been huge, hundred billion dollar infrastructure programs announced by the G7 – but are they real? We examine the latest rhetoric from the United States and European Union. We look at two China Plus One alternatives with India and Vietnam, examine EU-Asia connectivity between Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan, take a look at Tajikistan’s 5M trade bonanza, see how the BRICS is replacing the EU in Russian trade, and round up the BRI from around the world. Something for (nearly) everyone…

Global Infrastructure 

G7 Plans To Deliver US$200 Billion Per Annum Until 2027 To Global Infrastructure Finance   

The Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) was unveiled during the G7 Summit in Germany, and relaunches a scheme unveiled at last year’s G7 talks in England. The G7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States together with the European Union, attending in an observing capacity.  Numerous powerful nations, such as Brazil China, India, Russia, Indonesia, and others are excluded from the G7. But what’s new?

China Plus One  

India-EU FTA Negotiations Restarted On June 27  

India and the European Union (EU) have restarted their free trade agreement (FTA) talks on Monday, after a nine-year gap. The first round of negotiations will take place in New Delhi between June 27 and July 1. An FTA would be a big win for New Delhi as the EU is India’s second largest trading partner. India-EU merchandise trade reached US$116.36 billion in 2021-22 as per latest government data, showing a year-on-year growth of 43.5 percent. Moreover, India enjoys a trade surplus with the EU. Indian exports to the EU jumped 57 percent to reach US$65 billion in FY 2021-22.

Lang Son And Guangxi: Picking Your China+1 Destination In Vietnam 

Vietnam’s Lang Son province has emerged as a promising location for investors looking to diversify or complement their China manufacturing. Manufacturing hubs in Vietnam and China have a different set of strengths and often play a complementary role in the production process. Vietnam Briefing profiles Lang Son and China’s Guangxi and factors that need to be considered when planning a supply chain shift.

EU-Asia Connectivity  

Bulgaria Keen To Develop EU-China Trade Via Azerbaijan 

Trade development opportunities have implications for the revival of the China & Central, Eastern Europe Forum while the EU cannot afford to develop antagonistic relations simultaneously with both Moscow and Beijing.

Kazakh Rail Transport Up Despite Loss Of Routes Through To EU Via Russia 

Kazakh railways, a major conduit of freight between China and the EU via Russia until March this year, has nonetheless reported a rise in both freight volume and revenues in the first four months of 2022. Figures though are too early to evaluate this as a trend or if volumes will later drop, although rail can still be sent to the EU via Caspian Sea connectivity between the Kazakh port at Aqtau and Azerbaijan’s Baku.

Central Asia  

Tajikistan Foreign Trade Up 20.8% On 2021 

Tajikistan’s main trade partners, in order are Russia, Kazakhstan, and China, followed by Turkey, Uzbekistan and Switzerland. This year to date, Tajikistan’s foreign trade turnover up to, and including May, increased by 20.8 percent compared to the same period of last year, reaching US$2.9 billion.

BRICS 

Russia Relocating Trade From EU To BRICS    

President Vladimir Putin said at last week’s BRICS Business Forum that Russia was in the process of rerouting its trade and oil exports towards countries from the BRICS group of emerging economies in the wake of Western sanctions over Ukraine. The BRICS countries comprise Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Belt & Road Initiative        

China’s Belt & Road And Beyond  

All the latest global headlines about China’s Belt & Road Initiative.

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