Late Friday, on a call with the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnon, US President Joe Biden pitched a proposal to start an initiative among 'democratic' countries to rival China's Belt and Road Initiative(BRI).

“I suggested we should have, essentially, a similar initiative coming from the democratic states, helping those communities around the world that, in fact, need help,” Biden told reporters, referring to the BRI.

Western Powers have been raising eyebrows over China's "growing influence" in the developing countries. China has helped scores of countries to develop infrastructure through the BRI initiative.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has promised to pursue “open, green, and clean co-operation.”  

The UK did not mention Biden's proposal of  "a BRI-like initiative" in the read-out following the phone call with Biden. However, London did mention that the two leaders discussed “significant action” to impose sanctions on “human rights violators” in Xinjiang.

Beijing, however, has been denying the human rights violations in Xinjiang and has got a back of various West-based companies which have got their factories in the region.