Swedish scholar highlights significance of China's approach for West Asia and Africa

By Xia Fangting

China's approach to development offers West Asia and Africa a viable pathway to prosperity that Western models have not provided, a Swedish scholar said at a lecture in Beijing on April 14.

Hussein Askary, co-founder and vice president of the Belt and Road Institute in Sweden, said the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is not simply about trade but is built on the logic that roads lead to riches, spurring technological and industrial development through improved infrastructure.

West Asia plays a pivotal role as a bridge connecting Asia and Africa, Askary said, with countries in the region actively seeking strategic cooperation with China under the BRI framework as a pathway toward independent revitalization.

Askary described the U.S.-led India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor as a "geopolitical joke" lacking economic logic, arguing it aims to create regional divisions in contrast to China's vision of unity and common prosperity.

If conflicts in West Asia can be peacefully resolved, Askary said, China's approach — emphasizing multilateralism and development — will ultimately gain wider acceptance, as it is grounded in real development needs rather than geopolitical considerations.

Hussein Askary speaks at a lecture in Beijing, April 14, 2026. [Photo by Xia Fangting/Chinadiplomacy.org.cn]

Askary also highlighted China's global leadership in desertification prevention and control and agricultural technology, areas of critical importance for Africa. By integrating large-scale infrastructure projects with efforts to combat desertification, African countries can advance modernization and industrialization, he said.

The BRI reflects the concept of building a community with a shared future for humanity and promotes dialogue among civilizations, Askary said. China's approach, he added, seeks to create a "garden" in which all civilizations can flourish, rather than a "jungle" dominated by the strong. He also called on Western countries to move beyond their Cold War mentality and engage in global cooperation to advance human civilization.

The lecture was hosted by the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies and the School of Global Leadership of Renmin University of China.