‘Trump’s strategy to counter China’s BRI: too little, too late’

This is apropos two back-to-back letters to the Editor titled ‘Trump’s strategy to counter China’s BRI: too little, too late’ by this writer carried by the newspaper yesterday and on Thursday.

Additionally, Bessent and Senator James Lankford proposed leveraging US energy exports as a tool to counter China’s growing economic foothold in developing nations.

By increasing American liquefied natural gas (LNG) and oil exports, the US could offer an energy alternative to Chinese-financed coal and fossil fuel projects under the BRI, reducing these countries’ dependence on Beijing.

Another proposed measure involved strengthening diplomatic and security alliances, particularly with Indo-Pacific nations, to reduce China’s dominance over global infrastructure and supply chains.

Senator Cornyn emphasized that the US must work closely with India, Japan, and Australia through the Quad alliance to provide a coordinated, transparent, and non-exploitative alternative to the BRI.

Bessent concluded that a Trump administration would take a more aggressive stance on countering China’s economic expansion, ensuring that the US leverages trade agreements, private-sector investments, and strategic partnerships to prevent more nations from falling into Beijing’s economic orbit.

The hearings made it clear that reasserting US leadership in global infrastructure financing and reducing dependency on China’s BRI loans would be a key priority for the incoming administration.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025