As global powers roll out infrastructure initiatives like the U.S.-led Build Back Better World (B3W) and the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC), experts caution against framing these projects as rivals to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). 🌐
Zoon Ahmed Khan, a researcher at the Center for China and Globalization, argues that while multiple options benefit developing nations, a \"replacement mentality\" aimed at countering the BRI could backfire. 💡 \"Competition breeds innovation, but zero-sum geopolitics slows down real progress,\" she says.
The BRI, launched in 2013, has funded ports, railways, and energy projects worldwide. Newer initiatives like B3W emphasize climate-friendly infrastructure, while IMEC focuses on trade connectivity. 🚄⚡ Yet Khan warns: \"If the goal is to ‘outdo’ rather than collaborate, everyone loses—especially countries needing urgent development.\"
Young professionals, take note: Global infrastructure isn’t a Marvel vs. DC showdown. The real winners? Communities gaining access to roads, power, and jobs—no matter who builds them. 🛣️✨
