Point to flash so far is that the top this is where they are. Welcome to the 77 percent. This weekend d w. China has invested billions in its bells and Road Initiatives Infrastructure Projects funding dozens of countries across the world take a look at how african nations are trading developments for debt. Also coming up our reporter egypt cannae take the trip on the chinese finance model rocket expressed in kenya is just one example of beijings month of investment in africa. On does a world top 2 economies edged closer to a train to we are quite good at u. S. China truth mean for the rest of the world. This is business africa im paid ferguson welcome 29000 is nearly out an end on one of the stories weve been covering extensively this year is chinas belt underwrote initiative. Its a series of grand Infrastructure Projects intended to connect the Chinese Market with the rest of the world now you can see the extent of it here on the map construction has been underway since 2013 were talking harbors railways roads and infrastructure in more than 60 countries chinas am is to secure export markets and access to roll materials germany is also involved china has invested more than 38000000000 euros here since 2005 the focus has been on Innovative Technologies a study by the battles month foundation to find that automotive drive systems and energy Biomedical Technology were the main areas of interest now earlier today we spoke to our correspondent in taipei www so its on hand we asked him what china hopes to achieve with the belt and Road Initiatives. Well to eventually get more influence and control in the world we know from another member of the project that is the silk roll is the Engine Network of trade routes that connected china in the roman empire and many societies in between so the modern version vision by chinese president xi jinping goes further to partner with more countries in asia europe and beyond so that is Chinese Governments biggest ambition. The belgian Road Initiative has also seen a huge amount of Chinese Investment in africa our next report brings us to kenya and onboard the model rocket express a chinese funded Railway Linking the 30th of mombasa. Express high profile undertaking that aims to bring prosperity to southern kenya and to 2 cities in particular. Time to board to Mombasa Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway or s. G. R. Kenyas most expensive Infrastructure Project the distance between kenyas capital nairobi and the port city mumbai just under 500 kilometers and 2 years ago in 2017 this journey that we are on would have taken up to 10 hours in fact some passengers on the train see that up to 24 hours have been spent trying to bridge that gap between these 2 cities. Town. Very fast. Very fast. Is bound to happen which means that the standard good will be running across the country of kenya and eventually leading up to a regional partners uganda and eventually south sudan opening up the region to trade and movement of persons the railway was built by chinese contractors and financed largely by chinese loans that poses a debt burden. Putting all this together hasnt come cheap 3800000000. 00 kenya has had to fork out in order to get this done and the tricky thing is 90 percent of that funding came from the china eggs in bank the Foreign Investors celebrate the results in the promotional videos the chinese provided both financing can technology to operate the railway for the 1st 5 years. Express is currently running at a loss but the investment is already paying off for chinese importers beijing is now 10 years. Biggest trading partner on the ground most kenyans are pleased they welcome the investment in the countrys elite and largely outdated infrastructure. This dealer now gets his new cars by a train from mombasa but what about when the people who say the s. G. R. Was a bad investment are against Development Training helps ordinary kenyans rich and poor benefit from it mostly because were used to but its also hitting motorists in their wallet gas prices have gone up to help pay off the chinese debt. Now for more on this lets cross to joy in uganda joy good to see you this is just one example of a chinese funded Infrastructure Project in africa how i think of kinds of initiatives being perceived in uganda kenya and beyond to be honest these projects are being received in a much more 5050 kind of situation because on one hand africa desperately needs Infrastructure Development which is where china has invested most. Of its funding and then of the other hand a lot of critics are saying that what exactly are we getting ourselves into some critics have said that this could be an issue of truck diplomacy from china that we might ignore there are repercussions at the end of the day. And on lot no joy do you think that countries like kenya can afford to be taking on this level of debt. I believe saw i am not really in Good Authority to say so but from what we have seen the reports that have been coming out in regard to how much debt kenya has been incurring over the past few years a huge chunk of this date has been going into Infrastructure Projects the construction of the real wave that is still ongoing as well and of course construction and extension of other Route Networks in the country and the president of kenya has defended this date saying there is an ease in good faith in the country will continue to take more for date as low as it is who are the infrastructure and development of the country of kenya and this is something that other african countries leaders have also said as well. And how much our homegrown African Companies actually benefit benefiting from this Chinese Investment i want to see him much because. Most of these chinese current contracts come or Bilateral Agreements come with spacesuit preconditions that these projects will be managed by Chinese Companies and saw all of the balance of trade here or balance of arguments really is only in favor of Chinese Companies and so is just a little that goes to the african a Homegrown Companies in this case and case in point is the construction of the stone it gives real with in kenya where the Chinese Companies or chinese Chinese Government companies are being my are managing to sort of gauge really for the next 10 years even after the completion of the real way and this actually goes to tell just how much control or how little control african countries do have over these Infrastructure Projects ongoing on the african continent to irene in uganda thanks a lot. The United States says its planning to sign a trade deal with china in the 1st week of january the government in beijing has not confirmed the timeline nor has it mentioned any specifics about the agreement taken together theres uncertainty about what is happening and when. Next years Election Year in the u. S. And donald trump is not like you to risk him barking on tricky trade negotiations with one eye on the polls instead hes keen to declare himself the winner in the trade war with china so no surprise when he announced phase one of a trade deal. Because we want to get you. Just be a great player. A few days earlier at a rally his message was even clearer. We just achieved a breakthrough on the trade deal and well be starting to get very shortly theyre already buying digital billions of dollars of products agricultural products. The phase one deal is bigger than window dressing china will no longer impose tariffs on soybeans imports from the u. S. For its part the u. S. Wave tariffs against china in mid december but nothing on state subsidies or market reform not even when and where it will be signed. So what does china make of all this. Are the issues youre concerned about on the phase one deal signing i can tell you that both sides economic and trade teams are in close communication about details arrangements for the deal signing and other follow up work. Which translates as both sides say negotiations are continuing. Or on this im joined in the studio by daves rest in china export their fricken into for thanks for coming on what do we know about this phase one deal well its very much the phase one deal theres very little substantive in this its more about a big gesture the big issues that Everyone Wants to know about and that everyone really wants to see change in china are the issues of state subsidies reforms opening up the kind of thing this is mostly though about dealing with the domestic issues in the u. S. About the farmers there and so its about soybeans and pork by giving china some relief from from these subsidies that have been the towers that have been posed on the in the trade conflict so far ok for looking beyond soybeans and pork the china u. S. Conflict is only one of several trade spots going on at the moment japan and south korea have also been at loggerheads what can you tell me about that its interesting that. In. Our in. Our in chengdu at the moment on the meeting with the chinese and theyre having talks theyve got their own trade route going on these are the 3 big asian powerhouses china south korea and japan theyre trying to find their own way around each other everyone has their own issues with each other as it were. Japan because its wartime history has issues with both korea and japan over that so sorry on china over that so theyre trying to find a trade deal there as well and everywhere in the region is looking at that and then of course this could also spill over into the rest of the world i mean i think in 2020 were looking at a a quite a busy year for trade issues and very briefly if you can where does this leave your earth where europe could be the next on the list i mean if trump does come up with a deal with china then hes sure to look at europe next so i think thats going to be another big issue next year great leverage in trying to let. Russia has called on the European Union to find a solution to the controversial north korean 2 pipeline that will transport russian gas to germany a deputy Prime Minister dmitri kosek said its in the only interest to ensure it has Energy Security at an acceptable price u. S. Lawmakers have approved sanctions on companies and governments working on the project. From me and the Business Team here in berlin for more you can check out our website that details you dot com slash business you can also find us on facebook on twitter for me its goodbye and take care. Of her and doing drugs are you doing australian farmers. Profits have fallen substantially. Believes in the Climate Crisis but others want to take action. Is growing in the country. Really farmers climate change. Global 3000 next year. Coach of it becoming. More linked from africa and the world your link to exceptional stories and discussion. Is a visit our website debbie to come snatch coffee cup join us on facebook. Africa. Welcomes a global 3000 this week we meet women in mexico who are preserving the local color in every traditions and protecting local farm as. Could rice