Context: 

In 2013, China launched its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a vast infrastructure development program intended to expand the country’s economic and geopolitical interests. Since its inception, over 140 countries have signed on to the BRI. Beijing is estimated to have invested over $1 trillion in the scheme.

As the BRI has grown in scope, so too have concerns about its impacts on partner countries. By participating in the scheme, partners are eligible to receive Chinese loans and development assistance. However, many BRI-funded projects have been criticized as overly expensive, complex and opaque, with costs soaring far beyond initial projections. This has left many partner countries heavily indebted to Beijing, a dynamic that has been characterized as “debt-trap diplomacy”. As a result, some participating nations have cancelled BRI projects.

Despite such concerns, the BRI remains attractive. China is increasingly viewed as a more reliable partner than the United States, particularly in the wake of the Trump administration’s more blunt diplomatic approach. In recent years, China has focused on expanding its influence in Latin America, where 21 countries have already signed on to the BRI, including Colombia in May. If current trends hold, China may be able to further expand the BRI in 2025.  

Resolution Criteria:

This question will resolve positively if a major news outlet reports that two more additional countries have signed agreements to join the Belt and Road Initiative by December 31, 2025.

Further Reading:

Colombia Signs Up to China's Belt and Road Initiative | DW
China’s Massive Belt and Road Initiative | Council on Foreign Relations
How Is the Belt and Road Initiative Advancing China’s Interests? | ChinaPower Project