China’s Dominance: How BRI Soft Power Outpaces US Coercion

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While the US focuses on conflict with Venezuela and Greenland, China’s Belt and Road Initiative reshapes global geopolitics.

By TRH World Desk

New Delhi, January 19, 2026 — In a period marked by rising global tensions—including US actions in Venezuela and looming strategic moves around Greenland—a crucial strategic narrative is unfolding quietly yet powerfully: China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as a soft power mechanism that is reshaping international influence.

Launched in 2013, the BRI has grown into the world’s largest infrastructure and connectivity project, extending across more than 150 countries and international organizations. “It has woven an expansive network of infrastructure—from roads and railways to ports, power stations and digital links—underscoring Beijing’s reach beyond borders,” wrote Sari Arho Havrén, a Finland-based geopolitics commentator, in a post on LinkedIn. This scale, unmatched by even major Western institutions, reflects China’s geoeconomic ambition, she argued.

Unlike short-term military interventions, BRI works through investment, dependency and connectivity. “Chinese loans and engineering create deep economic ties that often translate into political and diplomatic alignment, especially evident in votes within global forums like the UN,” added Havrén.

In many participating nations, she noted, Beijing is now a primary trading partner and infrastructure financier, with projects tailored to local development needs.

BRI is also evolving. “Digital Silk Road components, including 5G networks and satellite infrastructure, are extending China’s influence into the technological domain,” stressed Havrén. And as Beijing promotes climate-oriented economic corridors, the initiative increasingly blends development goals with strategic outreach, she added.

Critics point to transparency and debt sustainability challenges, yet the initiative shows no sign of slowing. “Integrated into China’s foreign policy and CCP constitution, the BRI offers a long-term model of influence that rivals traditional Western power projection,” argued Havrén.

In a world of hard power posturing, China’s BRI demonstrates that soft power—translated into infrastructure, economic interdependence, and governance norms—can reshape global order on its own terms.