MANILA, Philippines — China has blamed what it described as inaccurate judgment on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), saying it does not concern territorial or maritime disputes. The Chinese Foreign Ministry defended the BRI after an ambassador hinted that India is highly unlikely to attend the second Belt and Road Forum in Beijing this month. The ambassador said no country can participate in an initiative that ignores its core concerns of sovereignty and territorial integrity. “I would like to reiterate that the BRI is an open and inclusive initiative for economic cooperation. In pursuing the BRI cooperation, he said China and partner countries are committed to equality, openness and transparency, business operations centered around enterprises and to market rules and international norms.

Source: Philippine Star April 16, 2019 22:07 UTC