Lianhe Zaobao, the Chinese flagship newspaper of Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), unveiled the English version of its Belt and Road portal yesterday.

The portal - beltandroad.zaobao.com/beltandroaden - is a joint project of SPH and the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) that aims to satisfy the increasing demand for news relating to the ambitious Chinese initiative.

It will also highlight Singapore's role in the initiative and lend readers a regional perspective on the developments.

A Chinese-language portal that was launched in March last year has amassed more than 11 million page views, with visitors coming mainly from the Greater China region, Singapore, other South-east Asian countries and the United States.

SPH deputy chief executive Anthony Tan said: "With the Belt and Road Initiative garnering prominence regionally, there is demand for a trusted website that carries news and developments.

"The Chinese website has gained good reputation since its launch for its in-depth coverage. We are sure that the English version will build on the strengths and reach out to a wider audience going forward."

The portal is featured as a special section on zaobao.com and is free to access. It includes an overview of the project, news, analysis, and a calendar of related activities.

The Belt and Road Initiative was first raised by Chinese President Xi Jinping to promote key infrastructure projects along the Silk Road economic belt and the 21st century maritime Silk Road.

It is China's top national-level strategy.

Marissa Lee