Leaders from emerging economies are visiting China for the ''Belt and Road'' forum

A stream of leaders of emerging market countries are arriving in Beijing for a meeting organised by the Chinese government that will mark the 10th anniversary of its Belt and Road Initiative. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe both landed in Beijing on Monday, following the arrivals of Chilean President Gabriel Boric and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban late on Sunday.

Orban met Sunday with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, Hungary's state news agency MTI said.

Under the initiative, a signature policy of Xi, Chinese companies have built ports, roads, railways, power plants and other infrastructure around the world in a bid to boost trade and economic growth.


But the massive Chinese development loans that funded the projects have also burdened some poorer countries with heavy debts.

Others leaders from Africa, Southeast Asia, Central Asia and the Mideast will attend the Belt and Road Forum, whose main events are on Wednesday. Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to attend, as are representatives of the Taliban government in Afghanistan.