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Editor's note:  Andy Mok是前兰德公司（美国非营利性全球政策智囊团）研究员，也是中国与全球化智库的非常驻研究员。

Four trillion U.S. dollars of planned investments in 65 countries representing 70 percent of the world's population, 55 percent of its GDP, and 75 percent of its energy reserves: China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is by far the largest scale global development project in the many thousands of years of human history. 

一带一路倡议计划投资65个国家，总额达四万亿美元。这些国家拥有世界70%的人口，55%的国内生产总值以及75%的能源储备。该倡议成为人类数千年历史中规模最大的全球发展项目。

Spanning the entire Eurasian landmass from Eastern China to Western Europe, covering the continent of Africa and the countries of East and Southeast Asia, the BRI has a growing global influence as more and more countries sign up.

从中国东部到西欧，一带一路项目横贯整个欧亚大陆，且覆盖非洲大陆、以及东亚和东南亚各国。随着越来越多的国家加入，其全球影响力也与日俱增。

However, some have tried to foment opposition to the BRI by claiming it involves under-the-table dealings and lacks transparency. This is kind of ridiculous. The accusatory voices are loud, but none are backed up with evidence.

然而，一些人却试图煽动反对情绪，称一带一路涉及暗箱操作，缺乏透明度。这些都是无稽之谈。声音虽大，但都无凭无据。

Rather than arguing against the accusations, it is better to analyze the reasons behind them. What are the motives of the critics?

与其反驳这些指控，不如分析其背后的原因。批评者的动机何在？

For many American policymakers, the United States can only feel safe if it maintains its global dominance. Also, many in the U.S. are deeply wedded to the notion that American-style values and governance are not only the best for the U.S, but must also be foisted by persuasion or force on the rest of the world.

对许多美国的政策制定者来说，美国只有一直占据全球主导地位，才是安全的。此外，许多美国人也深信，美国式的价值观和治理模式不仅最适合美国，还应软硬兼施地强加给其他国家。

The BRI offers countries around the world an alternative development path to the American-led system.

一带一路为各国提供了一条新的发展途径，使之不再受制于美国主导的世界体系。

The initiative is creating a vast integrated market centered on the continents of Asia, Europe and Africa that will be many times larger and, in not too distant future, more advanced than that of the U.S. These BRI countries can chart their own course without interference from outside countries.

它正在打造一个以亚洲、欧洲和非洲大陆为中心的巨大的一体化市场，其规模将是美国市场的数倍，并会在不远的将来比美国市场更具先进性。一带一路的参与国可以自主规划发展道路，不受其他国家干涉。

As these countries become more independent, the U.S. loses influence in the eyes of the international community, and so it is doing all it can to discredit the BRI.

随着这些国家愈发独立，美国逐渐失去其国际影响力，因此不遗余力地诋毁一带一路。

Who should you believe?

该相信谁？

When words and numbers collide, the numbers win. 

口说无凭，数字为证。

The China-Europe container trains have become a powerful support for the development of the Belt and Road Initiative. /Xinhua Photo.

Currently, China's economy is growing three times faster than that of the U.S. In dollar terms, China is adding about 800 billion U.S. dollars per year to the global economy compared to 400 billion U.S. dollars from the U.S. 

目前，中国的经济增长速度是美国的三倍。以美元计算，中国每年对全球经济的贡献约为8000亿美元，而美国为4000亿美元。

But perhaps more importantly, the Chinese people are happier with their lives and more hopeful about their futures. According to the Pew Research Center, 96 percent of Chinese said their standard of living was better than that of their parents and 87 percent said they were satisfied with their country’s direction.  

但也许更重要的是，中国人民觉着自己的生活更幸福，对未来更满怀希望。皮尤研究中心 (Pew Research Center) 的调查显示，96 %的中国人认为自己的生活水平高于父辈的生活水平，87 %的人表示自己对国家的发展方向感到满意。

The Chinese people also trust their government. According to the Edelman Trust Barometer, in 2018 China topped a 28-market ranking of average public trust in institutions. Moreover, the Chinese people's trust in their government reached the barometer's "highest recorded levels" —84 percent of the general public and 89 percent of the "informed public" trusted China's government.

中国人民也信任政府。埃德尔曼信任度晴雨表（Edelman Trust Barometer）显示，2018年，在28个接受调查的国家和地区中，中国政府信任度位居榜首，且达到了晴雨表的“历史最高水平”：84 %的普通民众和89 %的“知情公众”信任中国政府。

Trust and confidence in the BRI is spreading beyond China's borders, with Italy recently signing an MOU to join. Other major countries in the EU are likely to follow suit as more and more people learn to discriminate misguided distortions from the actual truth of the BRI.

中国的倡议开始得到外界越来越多的信任和信心。近期，意大利签署谅解备忘录加入一带一路就是一个例证。欧盟其他主要国家也可能会相继加入，因为越来越多的人学会了辨别真伪，了解了一带一路的真实情况。

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“一带一路”债务是好是坏？一个不是问题的问题！