Too little, too late, IMO. 130 countries out of 190 odd have already signed up to the BRI and let's face it, the US World bank has been supporting the 3rd World with piecemeal infrastructure projects since WW2 which has not got them out of poverty.
The BRI is an economic plan underpinned by mega co-ordinated infrastructure projects . For example over the past 5 years China has buile a second Suez canal parallel to the old one to enable two way shipping in what was previously a bottleneck. And as a bonus, China is building a brand new Egyptian Capital City nearby.
The US has first to reorganise its own domestic affairs before it can afford to throw money at the 3rd world to counter China's sphere of influence in Africa, ex USSR States & South America & the ME.
Up to now , the USA has being doing a demolition job particuluarly in Syria, Iraq & Afghanistan. Perhaps it should start there and rebuild these devastated countries?
At present the US woes are domestic: -violence & gun crimes -social unrest -mass unemployment & poor working class wages. -an industrially gutted rust belt -ever increasing debt - increasing trade deficits -multinationals who avoid US tax by squirrelling away profit in tax havens
(Perhaps the US should do the West a favour and declare war on tax havens?)
The reason that the USA wants to lift the Taiwan's standard of living is because it is being challenged by that of China on the nearby mainland and if the Chinese can demonstrate by example, there is a higher chance that the Tiawanese will want to join mainland China.
The USA did the same thing with Sweeden during the Cold War by financially supporting Sweedish industry ( The USSR was supporting Finland then) and giving Sweedish exports to USA preferential treatment.
Volvo Truck Corporation was allowed to buy White Trucks & GM trucks in the early 80s which it still owns. Once the Cold War was over, the US pulled the pin on Sweeden, Volvo & Saab cars went broke and later Scania was bailed out by VW-MAN. Now Sweeden is an enemy of the USA because it is "too Socialist" for the CIA 's liking.
If the USA has loose greenbacks then why do we not ask for some to China-proof our economy by processing our minerals with our coal & LNG so that we can diversify trade away from China and provide the 3rd World (supported by the USA as your cited article suggests) with steel , cement etc for the US financed infrastructure projects.?
At present the high prices of our iron ore & met coals is in part attributable to China's BRI which is using massive amounts of steel outside China on BRI trans Asia/Euroasia road & rail projects
We can still back the USA by putting Australia first...eh?
Moorookamick: Putting Australia First (Not China or the USA)
