Concerns about money owed to China for its Belt and Road Initiative are increasing in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The initiative, a huge infrastructure project, is a Chinese effort to improve transportation and increase trade across the area. In recent weeks, more than $30 billion in infrastructure projects have been canceled. Officials are reconsidering some loans and investments. Governments from Vietnam to Zambia are seeing public opposition to Chinese investments as well as fear of what has been called “debt diplomacy.” In August, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad canceled more than $20 billion in Belt and Road projects for railroads and pipelines. Pakistan cut another $2 billion off plans for a railway. Last year, Pakistan canceled a $14 billion dam project because of financial concerns. Last month, Nepal canceled another dam project, and Sierra Leone announced last week that it was dropping an airport project over debt concerns.
Title: Concerns about Debt Grow on China’s Belt and Road
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2916/fc664406-5f30-4576-9d41-6d401e273fda_hq.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Concerns about Debt Grow on Chinas Belt and Road' data-article-id='3455'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='13021'>Concerns about money owed to China for its Belt and Road Initiative are increasing in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.</span> <span data-start-time='13021' data-end-time='26583'>The initiative, a huge infrastructure project, is a Chinese effort to improve transportation and increase trade across the area.</span> <span data-start-time='26583' data-end-time='35333'>In recent weeks, more than $30 billion in infrastructure projects have been canceled.</span> <span data-start-time='35333' data-end-time='41563'>Officials are reconsidering some loans and investments.</span> <span data-start-time='41563' data-end-time='55354'>Governments from Vietnam to Zambia are seeing public opposition to Chinese investments as well as fear of what has been called “debt diplomacy.”</span> <span data-start-time='55354' data-end-time='68125'>In August, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad canceled more than $20 billion in Belt and Road projects for railroads and pipelines.</span> <span data-start-time='68125' data-end-time='73979'>Pakistan cut another $2 billion off plans for a railway.</span> <span data-start-time='73979' data-end-time='83021'>Last year, Pakistan canceled a $14 billion dam project because of financial concerns.</span> <span data-start-time='83021' data-end-time='95208'>Last month, Nepal canceled another dam project, and Sierra Leone announced last week that it was dropping an airport project over debt concerns.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2916/7D9BCD88-8D57-4C6F-85AE-58B79631F3F9_w1023_r1_s.jpg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=11776 data-hint-location='13021' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2916/what_is_trade.wav'>What is trade?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='the action of buying and selling goods and services'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2916/a_heavy_and_intense_snowstorm.wav'><span>a heavy and intense snowstorm</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2916/relating_to_or_involving_a_serious_condition.wav'><span>relating to or involving a serious condition</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2916/the_action_of_buying_and_selling_goods_and_services.wav'><span>the action of buying and selling goods and services</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2916/the_act_of_promoting_liberal_media.wav'><span>the act of promoting liberal media</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=11777 data-hint-location='35333' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2916/officials_are_reconsidering_some_loans_and_what.wav'>Officials are reconsidering some loans and what?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='investments'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2916/movie_deals.wav'><span>movie deals</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2916/investments.wav'><span>investments</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2916/trade_agreements.wav'><span>trade agreements</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2916/construction_projects.wav'><span>construction projects</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=11778 data-hint-location='68125' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2916/pakistan_cut_another_2_billion_off_plans_for_a__blank_.wav'>Pakistan cut another $2 billion off plans for a <span class='blank'>railway</span>.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='railway'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2916/airstrip.wav'><span>airstrip</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2916/spaceship.wav'><span>spaceship</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2916/interstate.wav'><span>interstate</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2916/railway.wav'><span>railway</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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