Australia, US, India and Japan in talks to establish ‘alternative’ to China’s Belt and Road (just don’t call it a rival)

The Belt and Road plan is a vehicle for China to take a greater role on the international stage by funding and building global transport and trade links in more than 60 countries

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The project was on the agenda for Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s talks with US President Donald Trump this week. File photo: AP

Published: 11:02am, 19 Feb 2018Updated: 11:25pm, 19 Feb 2018

In a bid to counter Beijing’s growing influence, Australia, the US, India and Japan are said to be talking about establishing a joint regional infrastructure scheme as an alternative to China’s multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative.

An unnamed senior US official was quoted in the Australian Financial Review on Monday as saying the plan involving the four allies was “nascent” and “won’t be ripe enough to be announced” during Australian Prime Minister Turnbull’s visit to the United States later this week.

However, the official said the project will be on the agenda for Turnbull’s talks with US President Donald Trump and was being seriously discussed.

The source said the preferred terminology was to call the plan an “alternative” to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, rather than a “rival”.

“No one is saying China should not build infrastructure,” the official was quoted as saying. “China might build a port which, on its own is not economically viable. We could make it economically viable by building a road or rail line linking that port.”