The country will need to provide a more convincing structural reform plan to correct the fiscal deficit and put the debt on a sustainable path.

This section provides the latest EBRI results. These quarterly results include the index value, investment climate factors and GDP. The index is formed of five tiers.

The Euromoney Belt and Road Index (EBRI) combines International Monetary Fund (IMF) GDP figures with investment climate (IC) scores sourced from economists and political experts who ranked countries on the Euromoney Country Risk platform. The index therefore combines qualitative, crowd-sourced opinion with quantitative data. Using these sources EBRI aims to provide a clear and credible index representing the politico-economic environment and investment climate.

The historical data compares the current quarter to the equivalent quarter for the previous three years. The annual changes in the index values clearly demonstrate the general trends.

The Euromoney Belt and Road Index (EBRI) provides aggregated data for BRI countries and regions across time. The aggregated values reflect the positive and negative trends in investment climate and GDP since Q4 2013.

The risk picture has improved, but geopolitical tensions over North Korea, Russia and Syria, the prospect of global trade wars and other concerns including monetary tightening remain key threats, warn analysts.

Although the borrower is evidently making progress, investors must be prepared for setbacks given the enormous economic and political challenges still to overcome.

The authorities will staunchly defend the exchange rate, but will be powerless to act if a global trade war intensifies.