Five areas have been singled out to advance the initiative: policy coordination, facilities connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and people-to-people bonds.
Though the Belt and Road is more than a trade and infrastructure network, many of the early projects do involve a large amount of infrastructure construction -- roads, rails, harbours, airports, pipelines, and the fiber optic.
Six overland economic corridors have been planned. The most prominent one -- the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor -- has seen rapid progress, with major highway, port, and power projects under way.
The Silk Road Fund and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) were set up to bankroll development projects in the region and beyond. Policy banks ramped up lending, while commercial banks opened new branches, and more countries signed currency swap agreements with China.
Cooperation is also being carried out in environmental protection, wildlife preservation, climate change intervention, joint maritime law enforcement, exchanges of culture, arts, and education.
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