A major summit underway in Beijing is another sign of the world's increasing fragmentation.
More than 130 countries are attending the two-day Belt and Road Initiative forum, including Russia's president Vladimir Putin, and Hungary's prime minister Viktor Orbán.
But as China's economy slows, and its domestic debt mounts, there are questions about whether President Xi Jinping's flagship programme can expand.
University of Canterbury China expert professor Anne-Marie Brady spoke to Corin Dann.
