About Buckle Up: The Millennial's Guide to the BRI
The Belt and Road Initiative is an intriguing case — it has been around for a while but has never been truly figured out. This is where this show comes in as Enzo Kong chats with bright young minds across continents every week to find out what the BRI has to offer. Whether you want to build your career along the BRI, to listen to the unique story and experiences of our extraordinary guests, or just to catch up with the latest buzz about international trade and politics, this is the podcast for you.
Finale: China | Digital RMB, debt-trap diplomacy, evolution of BRI & more
Guest:
Yao Xiaolin 姚嘯林 (PhD candidate at the School of International Studies of Peking University)
Host:
Enzo Kong (Governor, Path of Democracy)
Show Notes:
00:00 Intro
01:32 China's plan to relieve domestic industrial overcapacity
05:28 Internationalization of RMB and the digital RMB
08:23 Debt-trap diplomacy and the Sri Lanka example
13:05 Lack of materialization of BRI projects
16:17 Australia's withdrawal from the BRI
18:10 Is Build Back Better World a threat for the BRI?
19:59 Young people coming to study in China
13:47 Evolution of the BRI
28 Jan 2022
EP8: Morocco | Africa’s recovery, phosphate and rare earth, supply chain crisis & more
Guest:
Zayed Bennani (Founder and President, Peking University HSBC Business School Student Union)
Host:
Enzo Kong (Governor, Path of Democracy)
Show Notes:
00:00 Intro and Africa’s post-COVID recovery plan
13:22 North Africa’s strategic importance
16:08 Morocco’s role in the BRI
18:04 Potential of the Tangier Tech City
22:04 Phosphates and rare earth elements of Morocco
24:24 The largest concentrated solar farm in the world
26:40 Chinese tourists in Morocco
28:35 African youth’s prospects in the BRI
28 Jan 2022
EP7: North Macedonia | Uphill battle of EU accession, sunshine and solar power & more
Guest:
Anastasija Milkovska (Holder of Master's degree in Economic Development and International Finance)
Host:
Enzo Kong (Governor, Path of Democracy)
Show Notes:
00:00 Intro and a bit of history
05:19 EU accession and disputes with Greece and Bulgaria
13:19 What does BRI mean for North Macedonia
16:23 Strategic importance of the 2 Chinese-built highways
24:17 North Macedonia’s sunshine and potential for solar power
29:40 North Macedonia as a tourist spot
32:07 Information asymmetry for companies
38:05 BRI as a bottom-up initiative led by the youth
28 Jan 2022
EP6: Italy | China-EU investment deal, The Godfather, rulemaking in global economy & more
Guest:
Luca Bonadiman (Current JD student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong)
Host:
Enzo Kong (Governor, Path of Democracy)
Show Notes:
00:00 Intro and Luca's journey so far
07:49 The Godfather and the historic and cultural ties between Italy and China
11:45 What the BRI means to Italy
23:59 The Port of Trieste deal and the China-EU investment deal
33:20 China's soft power strategy and the potential for the BRI as a bottom-up initiative
28 Jan 2022
EP5: Montenegro | Billion-dollar motorway, debt sustainability, tourism prospects & more
Guest:
Ivan Piper (PhD student and Teaching Assistant at the University of Donja Gorica)
Host:
Enzo Kong (Governor, Path of Democracy)
Show notes:
00:00 Intro, 15 years since independence
05:39 Current administration and EU accession
08:58 Cultural and historical roots of BRI
13:42 Bar-Boljare motorway and debt sustainability
25:53 Chinese donation for reconstruction of Tara bridge
27:29 Attracting Chinese tourists
30:34 Environmental protection and energy projects
33:05 Young people's struggles and exchange opportunities in the far East
38:07 Vaccine diplomacy and Montenegrins' perception towards BRI
28 Jan 2022
EP4: Brazil | Brazil’s agricultural supremacy, agritech, innovative financing mechanisms
Guest:
Ana Palazzo (Current Master’s student in Contemporary China Studies in Renmin University, Major in Agriculture by UFV, MBA degree in Marketing by Fundace/USP)
Host:
Enzo Kong (Governor, Path of Democracy)
Show Notes:
00:00 Intro and a look back at BRICS
04:24 Innovative financing solutions under BRICS
12:29 Brazil’s agricultural supremacy
17:13 China as a huge customer for Brazilian produce
19:59 Trade war’s impact on Brazilian’s exports
22:41 Potential for Chinese investments in Brazilian agribusiness
28:26 Brazilian manufacturers’ struggles and the much-needed reforms
32:49 Covid’s toll on Brazil
36:16 Brazi’s youth issues
39:45 Ana’s experience of studying in China
41:42 Football exchanges and forecast of the BRI
28 Jan 2022
EP2: Albania | EU accession, student protests, airport mess & more
Guest:
JetnorKasmi (Albanian researcher focusing on Asian politics)
Host:
EnzoKong (Governor, Path of Democracy)
Show Notes:
00:00 Intro and Albania travel tips
02:39 PM Rama and EU accession
08:44 Historic Albania-China ties
12:25 The mess in the Tirana International Airport
20:09 Albania's agricultural exports and EU standards
25:51 Albania's ties with the Middle East and the US
29:05 Student protests in 2018/19
35:15 BRI's engagement with the Albanian youth
37:10 Jetnor's experience of studying in Asia
40:38 Improving Albania's public perception of China
Guest:
Ugne Mikalajunaite (China Studies graduate from Yenching Academy of Peking University)
Host:
Enzo Kong (Governor, Path of Democracy)
Show Notes:
00:00 Intro
01:43 PM Šimonytė and her foreign policy
03:45 Lithuania quitting the BRI, China recalling ambassador amid Lithuania's Taiwan ties
07:59 Port of Klaipėda and the strategic concerns
14:47 A successful deal in the energy sector and dependency on Russia
18:30 Lithuania clashing with Belarus
24:30 Lithuania's tech ambitions
30:46 Brain drain within Lithuania
33:49 'Create Lithuania' and BRI
36:26 Ugne's love for Hong Kong and journey of studying in China
43:03 Advice for saving the China-Lithuania relationship
27 Jan 2022
EP1: Nepal | Trans-Himalayan railway, climate adaptation, studying in PKU & more
Guest:
AnekaRebeccaRajbhandari (Political Science graduate from Peking University)
Host:
EnzoKong (Governor, Path of Democracy)
Show Notes:
00:00 Intro and Covid update
04:23 PM Deuba and his pro-India accusations
08:20 Nepal's participation in the BRI
14:17 Trans-Himalayan railway linking Kerung-Kathmandu and Nepal's exports
22:00 Chinese investments in the energy and industrial sectors
29:12 Instability in Nepali domestic politics
31:32 Climate adaptation and green finance
32:46 Issues and opportunities for the Nepali youth
36:18 Aneka's journey so far
41:04 BRI's road ahead and capacity building
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