NEW DELHI (WION) — China said Coronavirus pandemic affected nearly about 20% of projects under its multi-billion dollar Belt & Road Initiative (BRI).

China on Sunday admitted that BRI has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, but said that the impact is “temporary and limited”. In an effort to minimize its impact, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi claimed that from an overall long term perspective the coronavirus will “strengthen and reenergise” BRI cooperation and open-up new possibilities.

The Trump administration has been extremely critical of the BRI, in which $60 bln China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a flagship project, and is of the view that China’s “predatory” financing is leaving smaller countries under huge debt endangering their sovereignty.