Belt and Road at a Crossroads: Connectivity, Competition, and a Changing World

What happens when the world’s most ambitious infrastructure initiative hits geopolitical headwinds, green scrutiny, and digital competition?In this episode of the European Guanxi Podcast, host Shristi More sits down with Keren Zhu —Assistant Professor of Political Science at Davidson College and co-host of the Belt and Road Podcast — to unpack how China’s Belt and Road Initiative is transforming in 2025. From shifting strategies and rising tech tensions to green pledges and South–South partnerships, this is a timely conversation on power, perception, and the global race for connectivity.Is the BRI evolving or unraveling? And where does Europe stand in this recalibrated global map? Tune in for sharp insights and honest reflections.Few of the Papers by Dr. Keren Zhu to reflect upon :https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=uyRvY8kAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=srahttps://thepeoplesmap.net/globalchinapulse/a-decade-of-environmental-change/https://www.newsecuritybeat.org/2023/10/chinese-rail-exports-environmental-dilemma-economic-gains-green-2/https://www.rand.org/pubs/working_papers/WR1338.htmlThis episode was hosted by Shristi More