Chile’s BRI Odyssey: Insights by Heine
On October 20, 2023, Ambassador Jorge Heine, Research Professor at Boston University’s Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies and Interim Director of the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future, published a front-page column in China Daily where he offered his valuable insights on Chile’s involvement in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Chilean President Gabriel Boric’s participation in the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing carries immense significance, as Chile becomes the sole Latin American country to engage at the presidential level in all three such forums.
Amb. Heine’s column reflects on the achievements of the BRI as it marks its 10th anniversary and highlights Chile’s unique position as the BRI participant country farthest from China. He emphasizes the importance of the BRI for Latin America, particularly in addressing the region’s infrastructure deficit, a hindrance to its international competitiveness.
In his column, Amb. Heine underlines,
“Infrastructure and connectivity are powerful drivers of development. China has demonstrated this and is doing the same for countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.”
As a long-standing expert in international relations and a former ambassador of Chile to China, Professor Jorge Heine’s insights shed light on the geopolitical and economic implications of Chile’s participation in the BRI.
For a more in-depth understanding of Chile’s role in the Belt and Road Initiative, you can read Amb. Heine’s full column here.