Initially, China’s Belt and Road focused on connections to Europe and the Middle East through Russia, Central Asia and Pakistan for safety of China’s trade lifelines especially the access to oil and gas from the Middle East. Now railways connection to Europe has been established through Russia and Central Asia and there are bright prospects of access to Iran’s oil and gas through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and brighter now due to Trump’s isolated exit from the multilateral nuclear deal with Iran.

When connections have been ensured, China’s Belt and Road initiative has been turned into economic expansion abroad. That is typically reflected by China’s efforts for free trade areas (FTA) with and investment in Latin America, which have nothing to do whatever with China’s connections abroad, In fact Silk Road has never stretched to America.

China now have secure provision of oil and gas from Russia and Iran when…