Chinese investment in B&R economies exceeds $70b

China has invested more than $70 billion in countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative since its inception in 2013, with commodity trade exceeding $5 trillion, according to the country's top economic regulator.

China has set up 75 overseas economic and trade cooperation zones, with an investment exceeding $27 billion and created jobs for more than 200,000 local people, said Meng Wei, spokesperson of the National Development and Reform Commission, during a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday. In addition, China's Silk Road Fund has inked 19 projects with committed investment of $7 billion.

Infrastructure investment and other projects within the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative has proved beneficial for China as well as economies involved in the initiative since China held the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing last May.