The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) significantly contributes to the world economy. However, the central part of the Belt and Road (B&R) is located in fragile ecological zones that are arid, semi-arid, or sub-humid. Using the entropy method, the economic-social-natural ecological niches and their coupling coordination during 2007–2019 along B&R’s 11 countries were explored along with regional differences and spatiotemporal characteristics. The economic-social-natural ecological niches were low, with a fluctuating upward trend. Additionally, the average annual growth rate of the synthesis ecological niche dramatically improved after the BRI. Further, the BRI facilitated inter-country trade and promoted the economic ecological niche. However, the BRI marginally affected the social ecological position, possibly because the social ecological niche was high pre-BRI. The natural ecological niche showed a negative growth after the BRI. Further, the coupling coordination of economic-social ecological niche and natural ecological niche showed an upward trend, transforming from severe discoordination to advanced coordination. Although BRI promoted advanced coordination, it did not affect internal categories. Policy recommendations for sustainable development in China-ASEAN Free Trade Area were provided. This study can assist policymakers to balance economic-social development and environmental protection.

Aim: Biodiversity hotspots often span international borders, thus conservation efforts must as well. China is one of the most biodiverse countries and the length of its international land borders is the longest in the world; thus, there is a strong need for transboundary conservation. We identify China’s transboundary conservation hotspots and analyze the potential effects of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) on them to provide recommendations for conservation actions. Location: China, Asia Methods: We compiled a species list of terrestrial vertebrates that span China’s borders. Using their distribution, we extracted the top 30% of the area with the highest richness value weighted by Red List category and considered these transboundary hotspots for conservation priority. Then we analyzed protected area (PA) coverage and connectivity to identify conservation gaps. To measure the potential impact of the BRI, we counted the species whose distribution range is traversed by the BRI and calculated the aggregation index, proportion of natural land, and night light index along its routes. Results: We identified 1,964 terrestrial vertebrate species living in the border region. We identified four transboundary hotspots and found insufficient PA coverage and low connectivity in three of them. The BRI routes intersected all four hotspots and traversed 82.4% (1,619/1,964) of the transboundary species, half of which (918) are sensitive to the potential risks brought by the BRI. Night light index increased generally along the BRI. However, the proportion of natural land and the aggregation index near the BRI showed different trends in hotspots. Main conclusions: There is an urgent need for conservation action in China’s transboundary region. The BRI should put biodiversity conservation at the core of its development strategy. Furthermore, we suggest using the planned BRI as a platform for dialogue and consultation, knowledge and data sharing, and joint planning to promote transboundary conservation. Methods Data summary: This is the dataset used in the Diversity and Distributions contribution article "Transboundary conservation hotspots in China and potential impacts of the Belt and Road Initiative". The dataset includes heat maps of the transboundary distribution of terrestrial vertebrates in China drawn by the authors, as well as selected hotspots in the top 30% by value. In addition, a rasterized 0-1 protected area layer for the study area is provided for research reproduction. The heatmap and hotspots of transboundary species distribution were created as follows: We compiled a list of transboundary terrestrial vertebrates in China from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List database (https://www.iucnredlist.org/). We downloaded data of all species of mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles from the database and filtered those living in terrestrial ecosystems. We then filtered these species based on their geographic ranges, to retain species living both in China and other neighboring countries. Furthermore, we filtered the species by their distribution codes and retained those with codes of “Extant”, “Possibly Extant”, “Native”, and for birds we excluded “Passage”. The retained species were classified as transboundary terrestrial vertebrates in China. We downloaded distribution maps of transboundary species from the IUCN Red List (IUCN, 2021) and BirdLife International and the Handbook of the Birds of the World (BirdLife International, 2018). We then refined the distribution range (R 4.1.0, terra package)(Hijmans, 2022) for each species according to its suitable habitat types (i.e., land cover types) and elevation range, which were obtained from the IUCN Red List. Land cover data were obtained from (Jung et al., 2020), which is consistent with the IUCN habitat classification, and elevation data were obtained from WorldClim (https://worldclim.org/) (Fick and Hijmans, 2017). All raster layers were rescaled to a spatial resolution of 1 km and were under spatial reference coordinate system of WGS1984. We created 10 km, 50 km and 100 km buffer zones on both sides of China's border as border region (made in ArcGIS 10.2.2). We used this border region to crop the distribution maps of transboundary terrestrial species in China. Within the border region, each specie has a distribution layer with a value of 0 or 1 in each 1-km2 cell, where 1 represents presence and 0 represents absence. All species were then weighted by their Red List category, assuming Least Concern (LC) as 1, Near Threatened (NT) as 2, Vulnerable (VU) as 3, Endangered (EN) as 4 and Critically Endangered (CR) as 5 (Balaguru et al., 2006). We valued DD as 3 because DD species are often considered potentially at risk of extinction (Jaric et al., 2016). However, excluding the 65 DD species did not affect the main results. The weighted distribution layers were stacked to obtain a weighted-richness map. Finally, we extracted the top 30% of cells with highest values in the weighted-richness map as conservation hotspots. The 30% was chosen as the threshold because according to the 2030 action target 3 of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15)(Convention on Biological Diversity, 2020), it is necessary to protect 30% of land and sea globally by 2030. The raster layer of protected area was created as follows: We obtained map layers of PAs in China’s neighboring countries from the World Database on Protected Areas (UNEP-WCMC, 2017) and supplemented China’s PAs from Yang et al. (Yang et al., 2018). For some PAs which are point data in the WDPA dataset, we constructed circles around the points with areas equal to the sizes listed in the attribute table. We rasterized this map and reassignment the value to 0(without PAs) and 1(with PAs). Finally, we used border regions to crop the raster map. References

Balaguru, B., Britto, S. J., Nagamurugan, N., Natarajan, D. and Soosairaj, S. (2006) 'Identifying conservation priority zones for effective management of tropical forests in Eastern Ghats of India', Biodiversity and Conservation, 15(4), pp. 1529-1543. BirdLife International (2018) 'BirdLife International and handbook of the birds of the world (2018) Bird species distribution maps of the world. Version 2018.1. Available at http://datazone.birdlife.org/.'. Convention on Biological Diversity (2020) 'Update of the zero draft of the post‐2020 global biodiversity framework'. Fick, S. E. and Hijmans, R. J. (2017) 'WorldClim 2: new 1-km spatial resolution climate surfaces for global land areas', International Journal of Climatology, 37(12), pp. 4302-4315. Hijmans, R. J. (2022) 'terra: Spatial Data Analysis'. IUCN (2021) 'The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021-3. https://www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 20 june 2022.'. Jaric, I., Courchamp, F., Gessner, J. and Roberts, D. L. (2016) 'Potentially threatened: a Data Deficient flag for conservation management', Biodiversity and Conservation, 25(10), pp. 1995-2000. Jung, M., Dahal, P. R., Butchart, S. H. M., Donald, P. F., De Lamo, X., Lesiv, M., Kapos, V., Rondinini, C. and Visconti, P. (2020) 'A global map of terrestrial habitat types', Scientific Data, 7(1), pp. 256. UNEP-WCMC (2017) 'World Database on Protected Areas User Manual 1.5. UNEP-WCMC: Cambridge, UK. Available at: http://wcmc.io/WDPA_Manual'. Yang, L., Chen, M. H., Challender, D. W. S., Waterman, C., Zhang, C., Huo, Z. M., Liu, H. W. and Luan, X. F. (2018) 'Historical data for conservation: reconstructing range changes of Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) in eastern China (1970-2016)', Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences, 285(1885).

China’s "the Belt and Road Initiative" (BRI) is a top-level cooperation initiative among countries proposed by China, which has promoted China’s cooperation with relevant countries in various aspects and fields. Research reports from think tanks and experts on the evaluation, analysis, and research conclusions of the BRI can reflect the stance, opinions, and demands of various countries abroad regarding the initiative. This paper takes the BRI reports of important think tanks in the " Global Go To Think Tank Index Report 2020" as the subject of its research, and analyzes the key points and development trends of foreign think tank research on the BRI by using text mining, topic evolution, and social network analysis. It provides reasonable suggestions and ideas for promoting the construction of the BRI and deepening related cooperation in China. Research shows that the thematic distribution of research reports on the BRI by think tanks is mainly focused on the fields of politics, economy, and military. The research areas are relatively stable, and there is not a strong trend of thematic evolution. The evolution paths are also mainly distributed in the fields of politics, economy, and military. There are not many expansions in the thematic evolution directions over the years, and there is a strong inheritance of themes. The connection between research themes and the main purpose of the BRI is somewhat inadequate, indicating a certain limitation in the understanding of the BRI.

As China cannot achieve its emission reduction target without cooperating with other countries, the international carbon trading market has become a part of China’s carbon trading market system. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has brought many development opportunities to countries participating, but critics have also voiced concerns about the environmental and climate degradation it might bring. Thus China is making a great effort towards building a green and low-carbon BRI, part of which is a joint effort with other countries to cut greenhouse gas emission and achieve the 2,030 sustainable development goals. The estimation of abatement costs is the basis of regional carbon emission reduction cooperation and a prerequisite for establishing a regional carbon trading market. Taking into account the technological heterogeneity, this paper uses linear programming to estimate inefficiency level for China and BRI countries, and further calculates the marginal abatement cost (MAC) of carbon dioxide for each country. The results show that after considering technological heterogeneity, the average inefficiency level for China and BRI countries is 2.410%, which is about 26.526% lower than the traditional geographic grouping approach, indicating that the technological heterogeneity among BRI countries is significant and cannot be ignored. Most countries have a low inefficiency level, some countries show a clear trend. China has an average marginal abatement cost of 1440.183 USD/ton. As the marginal abatement cost varies greatly among countries, a large amount of abatement cost could be saved for China and BRI countries if the cost difference is exploited.

[Keywords] Market include BRI Nutrition, Best Naturals, Only Natural Inc, Nutraceutical, Aichi Quality

China Trade Finance Market size was valued at USD 1.4 Billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 2.8 Billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 9.1% from 2026 to 2032.

China Trade Finance Market Drivers

Export-Oriented Economy: China's position as a major global exporter drives significant demand for trade finance solutions to facilitate international transactions

Import Growth: Increasing domestic consumption and industrial needs are fueling import growth, further boosting the trade finance market.

Belt and Road Initiative (BRI): The BRI is stimulating trade and investment across Asia, Africa, and Europe, creating opportunities for trade finance providers.

Renminbi (RMB) Internationalization: Efforts to promote the RMB as a global trade currency are driving demand for RMB-denominated trade finance products.

Political and Economic Risks: Businesses operating in emerging markets face political and economic risks, driving demand for trade credit insurance and other risk mitigation tools.

[Keywords] Market include BRI, ELIO, Telkom Indonesia, Modtank, Sampoerna

ObjectivePrevious cross-sectional studies have demonstrated that the body roundness index (BRI) is associated with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). However, no longitudinal studies have confirmed this association. This study aims to explore the link between BRI and KOA risk in the Chinese population through longitudinal analysis and to evaluate its utility in early diagnosis and risk prediction.MethodsThis study utilizes data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). A total of 7,318 participants who were followed from 2015 to 2020 were included. BRI was calculated using physical examinations and questionnaire data, and participants were categorized by quartiles. The relationship between BRI and KOA risk was assessed using multivariate weighted regression models and trend tests, while subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted to ensure the robustness of the findings.ResultsAfter 5 years of follow-up, 1,035 participants (14.14%) were diagnosed with KOA. Findings indicate a positive correlation between BRI and KOA risk (HR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.02–1.13, p = 0.0039), with an increasing trend in KOA risk across BRI quartiles (p for trend = 0.0033). Subgroup analysis reveals that the association is particularly strong among individuals aged 50–59, males, those living in rural areas, and those without cardiovascular disease.ConclusionThis study establishes that an increase in BRI significantly elevates KOA risk. These findings suggest that BRI could be an effective tool for KOA risk assessment and could contribute to the development of personalized prevention strategies. Additionally, BRI is valuable in elucidating the potential mechanisms linking body fat distribution and inflammatory responses in KOA progression.

Construction Aggregates Sales Market Outlook

The global construction aggregates sales market size was valued at approximately USD 393.3 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 621.1 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 5.4% during the forecast period. The market is expected to experience significant growth due to various factors such as urbanization, infrastructure development, and increased construction activities across the globe. The rising demand for residential, commercial, and industrial spaces, coupled with government initiatives to boost infrastructure projects, is anticipated to drive the market further.

One of the primary growth factors for the construction aggregates market is the rapid urbanization witnessed in emerging economies. Countries like China, India, and Brazil are experiencing massive population shifts from rural to urban areas, necessitating the development of housing, roads, bridges, and other essential infrastructure. This urban migration is fueling the demand for construction materials, including aggregates, which are vital components in concrete, asphalt, and other construction products. Additionally, the rise in disposable incomes and improved living standards are also contributing to the increased demand for residential and commercial construction projects.

Another significant driver of the construction aggregates market is the substantial investment in infrastructure development by various governments. Developed and developing nations alike are prioritizing the enhancement of their infrastructure to support economic growth and improve the quality of life for their citizens. Massive projects such as highways, airports, railways, and ports require enormous quantities of construction aggregates. For instance, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by China and the U.S. infrastructure plan are examples of large-scale projects that significantly boost the demand for aggregates, thereby propelling the market growth.

Technological advancements and innovations in the construction industry are also playing a crucial role in the growth of the construction aggregates market. The adoption of modern construction techniques, the use of high-performance materials, and sustainable building practices are increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of construction projects. These advancements require high-quality aggregates that meet stringent standards and specifications, thus driving the demand for premium quality materials. Additionally, the recycling of construction waste and the use of recycled aggregates are gaining traction, contributing to the market's expansion while addressing environmental concerns.

River Aggregate plays a crucial role in the construction industry, particularly in regions where natural resources are abundant. These aggregates, sourced from riverbeds, are known for their smooth texture and rounded shape, making them ideal for use in concrete production and landscaping. The extraction of river aggregates is often subject to environmental regulations to prevent habitat disruption and ensure sustainable practices. As demand for high-quality construction materials grows, the industry is exploring innovative methods to balance the need for river aggregates with ecological preservation. This balance is essential to maintain the health of aquatic ecosystems while supporting infrastructure development.

The regional outlook for the construction aggregates market shows significant variation in growth patterns across different areas. Asia Pacific dominates the market due to the rapid urbanization and infrastructure development in countries like China and India. North America and Europe also exhibit steady growth, driven by the renovation and maintenance of existing infrastructure and the adoption of sustainable construction practices. Latin America and the Middle East & Africa are emerging markets, with substantial potential for growth due to increasing construction activities and government initiatives to improve infrastructure. These regions are expected to witness higher growth rates during the forecast period, contributing to the overall expansion of the global construction aggregates market.

Product Type Analysis

The product type segment of the construction aggregates market is categorized into crushed stone, sand, gravel, and others. Crushed stone is the largest segment

Data table of the BRI report of think tank "Global Go To Think Tank Index Report 2020".

Partial Results of Semantic Similarity Calculation of the Theme of Think Tank’s BRI Report.

BackgroundVisceral obesity is an important risk factor for the development and progression of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). The body roundness index (BRI) is a novel indicator that demonstrates a stronger correlation with visceral fat than other anthropometric indices. However, the association between the BRI and mortality risk in patients with MASLD remains unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between the BRI and the risks of all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality among patients with MASLD.MethodsThis study included 7,428 adults aged ≥18 years with MASLD, utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database spanning from 1999 to 2018. The assessment of MASLD was conducted based on the fatty liver index (FLI). To examine the relationship between the BRI and mortality risks, multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models, trend analysis, and restricted cubic spline curves were employed. Additionally, subgroup analyses were conducted to assess whether the association between the BRI and mortality varied across different subgroups.ResultsIn total, 1,249 participant deaths were recorded during a median follow-up period of 115 months, of which 404 were attributed to cardiovascular disease. After adjusting for multiple covariates in the fully adjusted model, the risk of all-cause mortality was increased by 27% (HR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.00–1.60) and 52% (HR: 1.52; 95% CI: 1.18–1.96) in BRI quartiles 3 to 4 (Q3–Q4) compared with Q1, respectively. Similarly, the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality was increased by 61% (HR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.05–2.46), 62% (HR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.03–2.53), and 144% (HR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.46–4.09) in BRI quartiles 2 to 4 (Q2–Q4) compared with Q1, respectively. The restricted cubic spline curves indicated a linear relationship between the BRI and both all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality (p for non-linearity >0.05).ConclusionIn this nationally representative sample of adults with MASLD from the non-institutionalized civilian population in the United States, the BRI served as an independent predictor of both all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality. Specifically, higher BRI values were associated with increased risks of both all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality among patients with MASLD.

Malaysia Construction Market size was valued at USD 49.47 Billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 83.07 Billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 8.5% from 2026 to 2032.

Malaysia Construction Market Drivers

Government Initiatives and Infrastructure Investment: The Malaysian government plays a pivotal role in the construction industry by funding major infrastructure projects. Programs such as the 12th Malaysia Plan (2021-2025) focus on large-scale public infrastructure improvements, targeting transportation networks, healthcare facilities, and affordable housing. The government’s investments in projects like the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and the Pan Borneo Highway reflect a strong commitment to modernizing the country's infrastructure. Moreover, these projects aim to enhance connectivity, reduce urban congestion, and create job opportunities, leading to sustained construction growth.

Urbanization and Population Growth: Malaysia’s urbanization rate is increasing steadily, with more people moving to urban areas for employment and better living conditions. This demographic shift necessitates extensive infrastructure development, including residential buildings, commercial spaces, transportation networks, and utilities. The urbanization trend, coupled with a growing middle-class population, drives demand for high-rise buildings, housing developments, and recreational facilities, creating a favorable environment for construction activities across the country.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and International Partnerships: Malaysia's strategic location in Southeast Asia, along with its stable political climate, attracts significant foreign investment, especially in the construction and real estate sectors. Initiatives under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) have seen Chinese firms collaborate on large projects, bringing in capital and expertise. Additionally, policies promoting foreign ownership in certain property sectors have increased FDI, further energizing the construction industry. The presence of international players contributes to Malaysia’s economic development and facilitates the adoption of modern construction techniques and technologies.

For the Belt and Road Initiative, “extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits” is the basic principle, and the competitiveness heterogeneity is an important condition for cooperation. Based on the complex network theory, this paper constructs a complex network model of global value chain (GVC) division of labor system by using the Multi-Regional Input-output (MRIO) table, and reveals the variation trend of competitiveness of industrial sectors and economies on the GVC network by the National Competitive Advantage Index (NCAI). The results verify the effectiveness of BRI, and help countries along the B&R route to explore their comparative advantages and cooperation prospects with other countries. The research also provides a direction and reference for China to better implement the Initiative.