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NOEL KING, HOST: The tiny mountainous country of Montenegro in southeastern Europe needed a good road. China offered to build it. And now Montenegro owes China the equivalent of a quarter of its economy, and Montenegro is not sure it can pay. Now, this road is part of a greater drama about a battle for influence in countries that are just outside of the European Union. Here s NPR s Rob Schmitz.
ROB SCHMITZ, BYLINE: The 25-mile section of highway that threatens to take Montenegro s economy starts here in the mountains outside the capital, Podgorica. The multilane expressway is lined with scaffolding. The Chinese construction company hasn t finished it yet, so cars are using the old road underneath it. It hasn t been paid for yet either. The first payment on the billion-dollar loan is due in July, and it s unclear whether Montenegro will be able to pay China back. What s worse, says former justice minister Dragan Soc, once completed, the road won t lead anywhere anyway - n
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2021/03/11 12:15 President Tsai (Office of the President photo) President Tsai (Office of the President photo) TAIPEI (Taiwan News) President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) expressed hope that Taiwan and the EU will continue working together to build resilient, reliable supply chains. In a speech delivered via video at the opening of the EU-Taiwan Supply Chains Forum Wednesday afternoon (March 10), Tsai highlighted the importance of trade, pointing out that the EU is Taiwan’s “biggest source of foreign direct investment.” She added that the pandemic has brought the need for supply chain resilience to the forefront. The president also noted that the EU’s focus on green energy and digital economy is similar to Taiwan’s push to develop renewables and spur technological innovation. “I understand the EU’s trade policy is now focused on the Asia-Pacific region, and I want to thank our friends in the European P