Recently, China quietly accomplished something, which the West has overlooked but actually has far-reaching implications!
On December 17, in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, the three countries of China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan officially signed the construction agreement for the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway. Due to recent Russia-Ukraine conflict negotiations, the U.S. military's plans to attack Venezuela, and the Australia beach shooting incident, this news has almost gone "silent" in Western media.
However, from the perspective of geo-economic, Eurasian integration, and global supply chain restructuring, the impact of this event is far greater than the above two.
The implementation of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway not only marks that a project that has been delayed for nearly thirty years has finally entered the implementation phase, but also reflects the urgent demand of Central Asian countries for diversified transportation channels - especially against the backdrop of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the obstruction of traditional Eurasian land routes.
The railway is about 523 kilometers long, including 50 bridges and 29 tunnels, with the total tunnel length reaching 120 kilometers, indicating complex terrain and high construction difficulty. The total investment is 4.7 billion U.S. dollars, with China providing 2.35 billion U.S. dollars in long-term loans, and the three countries contributing funds according to their proportions: China 51%, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan each 24.5%.
The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is not a military project, but it could reshape the logistics pattern of the entire heartland of Eurasia. The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway will open up a southern route, bypassing Russia, directly connecting Uzbekistan, Iran, Turkey, and ultimately reaching Southern Europe. This means that Chinese exported goods have an additional alternative path that is not affected by geopolitical situations.
If the Central Asian railway network is fully upgraded, regional trade costs can be reduced by more than 15%, and cross-border freight time can be shortened by 30%. When the integration of the Eurasian continent takes shape, island nations such as the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom will face unprecedented troubles.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1851829339175946/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.