Belt and Road Forum kicks off with Xi Jinping to lay out new pitch

Infrastructure spree largely met Beijing's key goals but is at crossroads

A sign for the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing on Oct. 16. China is celebrating 10 years of President Xi Jinping's global infrastructure initiative. © Reuters

CK TAN, Nikkei staff writer

October 17, 2023 10:30 JST

Updated on October 17, 2023 11:42 JST

BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to outline his views on the past and future of the Belt and Road Initiative, as Beijing hosts world dignitaries on Tuesday and Wednesday at a forum marking the 10th anniversary of its signature foreign policy strategy.

Xi is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech on the second day of the forum, according to state media outlet Xinhua. Guests have been arriving one after another, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, who landed in Beijing on Tuesday morning as he looks to shore up the neighbors' "no limits" partnership.