On this special bonus Democracy Sausage Extra, we’re joined by one of Australia’s most preeminent China scholars, Professor Jane Golley, to help us understand China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and what it means for Australia.

A three-decade, $1 trillion infrastructure investment plan that currently involves over 60 countries, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a vast economic and foreign policy initiative led by Chinese President Xi Jinping. But the scheme hasn’t been universally welcomed - indeed Victoria’s 2018 to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with China on the deal has been met with criticism by the Federal Government. But what are the economic and foreign policy factors driving the BRI? How valid are the national security concerns about the scheme, including those about so-called ‘debt-trap diplomacy’? And how should Australia be responding? On this special extra Democracy Sausage Extra, we’re joined by one of Australia’s most preeminent China scholars, Professor Jane Golley, to help us understand the BRI and Australia-China relations.

Professor Jane Golley is an economist and Director of the Australian Centre on China in the World at The Australian National University.

Martyn Pearce is a presenter for Policy Forum Pod and the Editor of Policy Forum.

Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group.

This podcast is produced in partnership with The Australian National University.

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