Connectivity of facilities is a key driver in facilitating economic development and cultural exchanges along the Belt and Road. China has collaborated with other member states on developing multi-dimensional infrastructure projects, such as Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway in Ethiopia and Gwadar Port in Pakistan, to enhance trade and economic cooperation along the land-sea-air transport routes.
According to the document ‘Vision and Actions on Jointly Building Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road’, China intends to build land-sea-air transport routes and develop infrastructure network to drive economic growth at state level, enhance economic collaboration and improve connectivity with other countries along the Belt and Road.
China has built six main economic corridors that strengthen both the infrastructure network and economic integration across different regions, including the New Eurasia Land Bridge Economic Corridor, China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor, China-Indochina Peninsula Economic Corridor, and Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor.
Significant improvements in infrastructure networks along the Silk Road funded by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Silk Road Fund have been achieved. More than 40 facilities have been constructed in flagship project ‘China-Pakistan Economic Corridor’, such as Peshawar-Karachi Motorway, Gwadar International Airport and oil storage tanks. The project facilitates economic development in Central Asia and Africa while supporting local infrastructure2.
Significant improvements in infrastructure networks along the Silk Road funded by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Silk Road Fund have been achieved.
Facilitating Transport System
Transport connectivity is essential to the Belt and Road infrastructure bonds. China Railway Express (Xiamen) is the first transport system in China that integrates railway and ocean freight services to transport merchandises from Southeast Asia to Europe, connecting railway with the ‘21st Century Maritime Silk Road’. It establishes a new route from Southeast Asia to Europe by connecting Hong Kong, Macau, ASEAN countries and Europe.3
China has signed 16 multilateral agreements with 15 countries along the Belt and Road, including the ‘SCO Member States Agreement on Facilitation of International Road Transport’4, so as to develop multi-lateral information sharing platforms and unify transport standards across the member states.
Port Infrastructure
China has been actively involved in the construction of port infrastructure to improve connection between sea and land transport along the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road. Zhoukou Municipal People's Government, for instance, cooperates with Henan Resources Group Corporation to build a large container terminal in Zhoukou that will improve the efficiency of China’s inland vessel and logistics system and facilitate import/export trade5.
After China Ocean Shipping Corporation Limited (COSCO) acquired the Piraeus Port, the port has grown into the largest container port in the Mediterranean, helping to reduce transport costs and increase trade flows into the European market6.
China has been actively involved in the construction of port infrastructure to improve connection between sea and land transport along the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road.
Global Telecommunication System
In the document ‘The 13th Five-Year Plan for the Information-based Project Construction’, the State Council proposed the development of a telecommunications corridor along the Belt and Road. To this end, Chinese enterprises have been encouraged to form alliance with foreign telecommunication players and build an international network7.
Since 2016, China has signed agreements on deepening partnership in ICT field with ASEAN member states and other countries along the transnational economic corridor8. As of 2016, China signed two Memorandum of Understanding with Arab countries and countries in East Africa for joint development of satellite navigation9 and telecommunications infrastructure respectively 10. Also, China Unicom has participated in the construction of the Asia-Africa-Europe-1 (AAE-1) submarine cable system and the China-Myanmar International (CMI) terrestrial cable system connecting Hong Kong, China and other countries in Asia, Africa and Europe11.
Introducing the ‘Aviation Silk Road’
China has been building aviation corridors in cooperation with other airlines along the Belt and Road.12 As of 2017, China National Aviation Corporation Group has signed bilateral aviation services agreements with 62 countries along the Belt and Road and has been running direct flights with 43 countries13. For example, China Eastern Airlines has resumed the direct flight route connecting Shanghai and Auckland in 201514 , and Sky Angkor Airlines started a non-stop flight service from Sihanoukville to Wuxi in June 2017. The growing aviation network reduces travelling time considerably15.
Energy Infrastructure
China has provided both financial and technical support for the energy industry through building oil and gas pipeline and power generation equipment, forming a global energy grid with access to the abundant natural resources along the Belt and Road. With the investments from China Communications Construction Group, the Pakistani Private Power & Infrastructure Board established a 300MW coal-fired power plant that provides electricity for Gwadar Port and surrounding areas16. Additionally, State Grid Corporation of China has undertaken more than 30 power transmission projects in countries including Ethiopia, Poland and Myanmar, which help to stabilise the local power supply17.
Regional Transport Hub
Service providers in Hong Kong can share their extensive knowledge with developing countries in running transport and logistics services at state and regional levels.
Hong Kong can make a significant contribution to the development of the air transport network. Service providers in Hong Kong can share their extensive knowledge with developing countries in running transport and logistics services at state and regional levels. Besides, Hong Kong has signed aviation services agreements with countries including Serbia, Malta and Israel18. With more non-stop flight routes to different countries being set up, traders, travellers, students, scholars and artists are able to take advantage of more convenient connectivity across the border19.
Connectivity of facilities is one of the main goals of the Belt and Road Initiative in strengthening regional economic cooperation and cultural ties along the trade routes.
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[10]Institute Of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization. "9. China's telecommunications Footprint in Africa." Institute Of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization.
[11] 人民郵電報社. “奏嚮「一帶一路」通信新樂章 專訪中國聯通總經理陸益民”. 中國信息產業網. 26 June, 2017.
[12]China Airport Synergy Investment Limited. "Hong Kong Chief Executive C Y Leung Visits Toulouse Airport in France." China Airport Synergy Investment Limited. June 17, 2016.
[13] Yicai.com. “東航詳解「一帶一路」佈局：不是簡單開通幾條國際航線". Yicai.com. 14 May, 2017.
[14]CNAIR.com. “東航青島-上海-奧克蘭航線推介會在青島舉行”. CNAIR.com. 19 July, 2017.
[15]Yicai.com. “西哈努克港至無錫國際航班正式開通". Yicai.com. 14 May, 2017.
[16]Private Power & Infrastructure Board, Government of Pakistan. "PPIB Signs Facilitation Agreement with Government of Azad Jammu & Kashmir under Tripartite LOS Regime." Private Power & Infrastructure Board, Government of Pakistan. September 8, 2017.
[17]State Grid Corporation of China. "All SGCC's Overseas Investment Projects Realized Profits." State Grid Corporation of China. November 18, 2016.
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[19]Information Services Department, HKSAR Government. "HK plays unique Belt-Road role." HKSAR Government. September 25, 2015.
