A global infrastructure investment plan proposed by the just concluded Group of Seven (G7) summit to counter China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a glorified stunt of public relations (PR), according to an article published on the website of Russian media outlet Russia Today (RT) recently.
"In reality, the G7's so-called 'alternative' isn't really an alternative at all --it's better described as a glorified PR stunt that fails to appreciate the structural factors that have underscored the success and appeal of the BRI in the first place," said the article authored by Tom Fowdy, a British analyst of politics and international relations.
The BRI's popularity "stems from fact that China does not attach 'political strings' to the investments, allowing nations to get ahead without making concessions to Western governments and institutions who used development finance in the past to enforce vast political and economic changes," it said.
The G7's plan, titled Build Back Better, is promising a lot but hasn't presented any feasible way of delivering on its aims, the article said, noting the G7 plan is destined to fail.
