Over the past decade, China has invested trillions of RMB in the Belt and Road Initiative. This move has caused a lot of controversy, and many people accused it of this "snatching project" and felt that the country used the hard-earned money of the people to build roads and bridges for foreigners. However, this view is completely deviating from its essence. The "Belt and Road" is actually a big game that China has carefully planned for the future of its destiny.

Why is the United States so afraid of the "Belt and Road"? Trump withdrew from the group as soon as he came to power, Biden continued to suppress and launched a "infrastructure partnership" to confront him. If the "Belt and Road" is really a "snatching project", the United States should have been happy to see it happen, so how could it be so nervous? The truth is that the Belt and Road Initiative is China's preparation for an ultimate showdown that may be without gunpowder but has huge lethality.

The most powerful weapon in the hands of the United States is not aircraft carrier fighters, but US dollars. Most global commodity transactions rely on US dollar settlement, and the United States uses this to control the "switch" of global trade and sanctions whoever they want. Due to US sanctions, banks dare not do business with it, and they cannot even transfer money for buying medicines. After the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Russia was kicked out of the settlement system, and hundreds of billions of dollars of foreign exchange instantly turned into waste paper. As the world's second largest economy, China has the largest foreign trade volume in the world. If it encounters the same situation, the consequences will be unimaginable. Therefore, one of the important tasks of the "Belt and Road" is to build a backup financial system. Today, China has signed currency swap agreements with more than 60 countries, and the settlement ratio of China-Russia trade in RMB exceeds 90%. Middle Eastern oil-producing countries have also begun to accept the purchase of RMB for oil. Even if they are kicked out of the US dollar system, China can maintain its economic operation.

The energy access problem is equally serious. 80% of China's oil is imported from the Middle East, and tankers must pass through the narrow Strait of Malacca. The US Seventh Fleet patrolls here. Once the war begins, the energy lifeline will be cut off and both the economy and life will be paralyzed. The Belt and Road Initiative has laid multiple pipelines in Central Asia, built Gwadar Port in Pakistan, and Kyaukpyu Port in Myanmar. The sea and land channels are parallel, making it difficult for the United States to block it easily.

Market diversification is also a key layout of the "Belt and Road". Ten years ago, the United States was China's largest trading partner, and now ASEAN has replaced it. The "Belt and Road" has expanded the circle of friends of Chinese companies by a hundred times, and Chinese companies are present in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Africa, Latin America and other places. China brings investment, technology, talent and market docking to these countries to achieve win-win cooperation. In contrast, the United States often imposes sanctions and engages in color revolutions, turning friends into enemies, and now even European allies are beginning to doubt their domineering behavior.

What's even more amazing is that the "Belt and Road" is exporting Chinese standards. China helps other countries build infrastructure such as railways, communication networks, port logistics, etc., and Chinese standards deepen. After the infrastructure is completed, these countries will be deeply bound to China's technical system, and it is extremely costly to replace the standards. Huawei's 5G standards, China's high-speed rail technology, Beidou navigation system, etc. are being promoted globally through the "Belt and Road Initiative". Whoever grasps the standards will have the right to speak.

The Belt and Road Initiative has reduced the possibility of conflict between China and the United States. When China has enough friends and a way out, the United States dare not take action easily. Today, many factories in Southeast Asian countries are built by China, workers are trained by China, markets are brought by China, and technology is provided by China. Even if the United States puts pressure, they dare not easily turn against China. The same is true for Europe. On the surface, the United States is forced to decouple from China, but behind the scenes, it is still doing business with China.

Of course, the "Belt and Road" has not been smooth sailing. There are risks and challenges during the implementation process, and some projects may suffer losses. But this is the price of growth, and in the long run, its results exceed expectations. China's international influence has been greatly enhanced, the foreign trade structure has been diversified, energy security has been guaranteed, and the process of internationalization of the RMB has been accelerated.

In China, if you want to develop better, you must see the domestic economic trends clearly and adapt to the development of the times. If you feel that life is not easy, you might as well reflect on whether your thinking is lagging behind. The "Belt and Road" has built a solid foundation for China's rise and allowed us to have more voice and initiative on the world stage.