Image Xi: Yuan and Initiative Force

image xi: Xi repeated his call to uphold multilateral trade, calling his initiative a force for peace in a world fraught with challenges, according to The Japan Times. He called for countries to uphold and grow an open world economy. Xi described the Belt and Road initiative as a project of the century before pledging an additional 100 billion yuan 14.5 billion for China's Silk Road Fund, 380 billion yuan in new lending for participating nations, and 60 billion yuan in coming years to developing countries and international organizations that join the program. The speech built on an image Xi has sought to hone since U.S. President Donald Trump's election as a champion of global free trade, most notably in a January speech in Davos, in the Philippines. Addressing concerns that the initiative will become a bonanza for Chinese companies or a strategic play for regional domination, Xi declared that the initiative will be open to all countries and complementary with their development goals. It set the tone for a major two-day forum which started Sunday to discuss the Belt and Road plan, which aims to connect China with Europe, Asia and Africa through infrastructure and investment. (news.financializer.com). As reported in the news.