The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a development strategy proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013 that focuses on connectivity and cooperation – with billion-dollar investments in railway lines, pipelines, and ports, which could provide a boost for international trade. The rapidly spreading coronavirus is resulting in delays and disruptions to the BRI’s plans abroad. An official involved in BRI planning noted that a failure to stop the virus from continuing to spread outside of China would inevitably take a massive toll on its projects.