Comments by "LoC28C" (@LoC28C) on "What does China's Belt and Road Initiative mean for Europe? | DW News" video.

  1. Stephen Johnson yes, look for some reports from CNA the Singapore channel that has a series that talks about this belt and road initiative. It has shown that in Laos, Cambodia, Khazakstan and a few more countries has benefited tremendously. The Chinese has built the railways and roads to these places and at the same time invested in factories and farms along these roads. They then have provided millions of jobs to the locals, lifting them out of object poverty. The initiative also brought along cultural exchanges, where there are schools set up not only by Chinese companies but also those from other participating countries and these education is centered on trade, technology and also it must include at least the local language, Chinese and English, this is to facilitate ease of trade in the future.
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  2. Stephen Johnson no it is not a debt trap for the receiving countries, as I have come to understand the loans are merely loans and the repayment schedules are very clear. The interests on these loans are very affordable as they are like 1% or 2% per annum. Just like a bank if you have borrowed money from it to buy a house and if you default on the loan then there will be some action taken according to the agreement. So it depends on how the receiving country manage these infrastructure and the loans taken. I have also seen another report from another news source interviewing several African leaders. They said the only way to develop Africa is to have proper infrastructure to facilitate these necessary growth in central Africa. He said the Europeans and the Americans has been there for decades but nothing has been done for them, the Chinese then come in and the have been very effective to put these plans into action. Their loans are also cheaper without any other strings When the Europeans and the Americans were in Africa they only come and take the resources and leave. When the Chinese comes, they bring along infrastructure that enables Africans to help themselves and develop. The Chinese also bring along their factories that provide jobs to Africans. They not only buy the local raw materials, but employ the locals to produce finished and semi finished goods to be sold and exported too.
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  3. Warren Mundell yeah, mainly many Taiwanese are brainwashed to hate the mainland. Those who don’t hate the mainland are big business people with a lot of investments on the mainland. Taiwanese schools are now teaching their young people that their heritage is now more Japanese than Chinese.
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