Since it was announced in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative has promised an infrastructure bonanza for countries across southeast and central Asia. The vast programme offers ambitious road, pipeline, telecoms, rail and port projects that aim to super-charge intra-regional connectivity and facilitate more commerce between China, the rest of Eurasia, and Africa. In the shorter term it also promises a construction boom.
But prior Chinese projects have encountered serious challenges and investors watching the eye-watering sums being invested are wondering how to get in on the action whilst avoiding the potholes.
Chinese internal economic development slowed to a sedate 6.6% of GDP in 2016 and Beijing...