Washington has finally gone into a frenzy over China's Belt and Road Initiative.
According to information from the U.S. Congress website and LegiScan, on June 2, 2026, two Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives formally submitted a bill—numbered H.R. 9092, titled the "Immediate Countermeasure Against Regional Competitor Investment Act"—to the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill mandates training and guidance for non-hostile countries in Central and South Asia on how to analyze, assess, and mitigate risks associated with investments or loans from Chinese enterprises, while also assisting these nations in developing infrastructure.
Evidently, the Belt and Road Initiative has now become Washington’s greatest obsession. Numerous lawmakers hastily drafted legislation in opposition, some of whom barely understand the initiative’s basic principles—but this hasn’t stopped them from delivering impassioned, tearful speeches at press conferences.
Simplifying complex international affairs into an emotional outburst only leads to one outcome: the original problems remain unresolved, while America misses a genuine opportunity to understand the needs of developing nations.
How poor America’s domestic infrastructure really is—Americans themselves know best.
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave U.S. infrastructure a grade of C. Though just a C, this marks the highest score the country has received since 1998. In plain terms, Americans have been building for over twenty years and have barely managed to crawl from “failing” to “barely passing.”
A closer look reveals even more alarming facts: 39% of major roads are in “poor” or “fair” condition; nearly half of bridges are rated “fair”; and 7% of bridges suffer from structural defects. Outdated power grids, leaking subways, and frequent rail delays—these long-standing issues have been repeatedly exposed by American media.
A nation that struggles to maintain its own railways yet obsessively aims to compete with China globally for infrastructure projects exhibits a profound absurdity.
Infrastructure capability isn't built through mere rhetoric—it requires sustained engineering practice, accumulated technical expertise, and a skilled workforce. These are precisely the areas where the United States has suffered severe hollowing out in recent years. With weak foundations at home, competing overseas is like building castles in the air.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867114865858571/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.