You may have heard of the concept of One Belt, One Road. It is actually the abbreviation of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Simply put, it draws on ancient land and sea trade routes and aims to connect countries in Asia, Europe, Africa and other places through modern infrastructure construction, trade investment and cultural exchanges, and promote common development for everyone.

After Chinese leaders proposed this initiative in 2013, it gradually evolved from an idea into a global cooperation framework. So far, in September 2025, more than 150 countries have signed relevant cooperation documents.

According to the latest data from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Belt and Road official website, as of mid-2025, 152 countries and 32 international organizations have joined the ranks of co-building the Belt and Road. This number has increased by several from previous years, because some Latin American and Pacific island countries have successively signed agreements in recent years.

For example, Tonga and the Solomon Islands will officially become new members in 2024. They mainly focus on infrastructure assistance that can help improve local transportation and energy supply. Africa has participated the most, covering almost all the countries. 52 of the 54 sovereign countries have signed. Only Swaziland has not established diplomatic relations due to diplomatic reasons, and Mauritius is temporarily waiting and watching.

Asian countries also account for the majority, with more than 40 countries on the list, from Kazakhstan in Central Asia to Indonesia in Southeast Asia, all of which are actively engaged in projects.

Why are so many countries interested? Because the cooperation provided by the Belt and Road Initiative is very pragmatic, not only building things, but also including trade facilitation. Taking Africa as an example, the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway in Kenya is a typical case. This railway connects Nairobi and the port of Mombasa, doubling the speed of local cargo transportation. Farmers can sell their agricultural products to the market faster, and economic activities have become more active.

Ethiopia's Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway is similar, connecting the inland and the port. There are many industrial parks and companies are enthusiastic about investment. On the Asian side, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is the highlight. Pakistan's Gwadar Port has been transformed from a fishing village into a modern port, and energy projects have alleviated power shortages.

The railway networks in Thailand and Laos are also expanding, and cross-border trade volumes are increasing every year. These projects are not free aid, but models of loans and investments that benefit each country reciprocally.

There are quite a few participating countries in Europe, about 20 or so, mainly in Central and Eastern Europe. An example is the Hungary-Serbia Railway in Serbia and Hungary, which shortens the shipping time of goods from Greek ports to Central Europe.

After the Greek port of Piraeus was invested by Chinese companies, its throughput increased significantly and it became an important hub in the Mediterranean. Western European countries like France and Germany have not officially signed, but companies have participated in specific projects. On the Latin American side, Chile, Peru and Ecuador signed contracts, mainly for port and mining cooperation.

Pacific island countries such as Papua New Guinea also joined in, building roads and bridges to improve people's livelihood. Australia and New Zealand in Oceania do not have a signature, but they have trade relations.

However, not all countries stayed, and some withdrew or did not renew. The Philippines joined in 2018 and has undertaken many projects, but announced its withdrawal in October 2023 due to South China Sea disputes and domestic political changes.

Italy became the first G7 country to sign an agreement in 2019 and built several ports for cooperation, but withdrew at the end of 2023, mainly due to domestic opposition pressure and the EU's unified stance.

Estonia did not renew the agreement after it expired in 2022, possibly due to economic considerations. Panama once participated in projects around the canal, but the contract expired on February 7, 2025 and was not renewed. It is said to be due to the influence of the United States. These exits reflect geopolitical factors, and there are always external pressures or internal disputes.

The development history of the Belt and Road Initiative is quite interesting. From its inception in 2013 to the first summit forum in 2017, leaders of 29 countries came to Beijing to meet and set a preliminary framework. In the second session in 2019, 37 countries participated, emphasizing high-quality development. In the third session in 2023, the focus will turn to the green and digital Silk Road, and more environmental protection projects will be signed.

In the first half of 2025, trade volume and investment data were good, with exports to participating countries increasing by 5.4% and direct investment of US$18.9 billion. The figures, drawn from reports from China's Customs and Ministry of Commerce, show that cooperation has remained resilient during the economic downturn.

Asia is the core, accounting for more than one-third of the total. From South Korea in East Asia to Sri Lanka in South Asia, they are all in the chain. South Korea has not officially signed it, but its companies have participated in many projects. India has not joined because it is mainly worried that the China-Pakistan Corridor will affect its sovereignty claims in Kashmir.

Japan and Israel are also absent. Japan is out of strategic competition, while Israel has complicated relations in the Middle East. Bhutan was influenced by India. Although North Korea did not sign, it sent people to participate in the forum. Africa has a high participation rate because many countries have weak infrastructure, and Belt and Road loans and engineering teams just make up for the shortcomings.

Railway projects like Nigeria's help make oil and gas transportation more efficient. Most European participation is in the east, with logistics centers cooperating in Poland and the Czech Republic. Major American countries such as the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Mexico did not sign. The United States even criticized it as a debt trap, but some small countries such as Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago joined.

The cooperation content is not only infrastructure, but also humanistic aspects. In terms of educational exchanges, students from many countries come to China to study engineering and management. Medical cooperation has been strengthened after the epidemic, and vaccine and equipment assistance have helped many African countries. Culturally, the Silk Road tourist route has been developed, with tourists starting from Xi'an and seeing ancient sites along the way.

Some Western media have said that projects have led to heavy debt burdens. For example, Sri Lanka's Hambantota Port was leased to a Chinese company in 2017 due to difficulty in repaying it, triggering sovereign concerns. But the reality is that most of Sri Lanka’s debt comes from other sources, and Belt and Road projects only account for a small part.

Pakistan has faced similar accusations, but the government says the projects have created jobs and tax revenue. Environmental issues have also been put on the agenda. In the early years, some projects did not have strict environmental assessments. Now, new agreements require green standards, such as the increase in wind power and solar power projects.

At the 2024 China-Africa Cooperation Forum, a new batch of projects were launched, focusing on agriculture and new energy. Latin American countries may increase. Although Brazil has not signed a contract, there are companies discussing cooperation.

The Digital Silk Road will be a focus, helping developing countries build data centers and optical fiber networks. The global economy is highly uncertain. The Belt and Road Initiative provides a multilateral platform that allows countries to bypass trade barriers and directly connect needs.

In total, 152 countries are currently participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. This number is still changing due to the dynamic international situation. Some countries join for real benefits, while others wait and see. Overall, it promotes global South-South cooperation and gives developing countries more choices.

No matter what outsiders say, it is already changing the economic landscape of many places. From railways in Africa to ports in Asia, these are living examples.

The number of participating countries in the Belt and Road Initiative reflects the activeness of China’s diplomacy. From the initial Asian neighboring countries to now covering five continents, this expansion is rapid.

The key is the effectiveness of project implementation. For example, after the China-Laos railway is opened to traffic in 2021, Laos' potash fertilizer exports will double and farmers' income will increase. The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail will be operational in 2023, making travel more convenient for Indonesians. These success stories attract more countries. The exit case also reminds that geo-risks need to be balanced.