China's Belt and Road Initiative is the most ambitious infrastructure project in modern history.
It spans over 60 countries and will cost over a trillion dollars.
The plan is to make it easier for the world to trade with China, by funding roads, railways, pipelines, and other infrastructure projects in Asia and Africa.
China is loaning trillions of dollars to any country that's willing to participate and it's been a big hit with the less democratic countries in the region. This makes the BRI a risky plan as well. But China is pushing forward because its goals are not strictly economic, they're also geopolitical. Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.