As China marks the 10th anniversary of its global infrastructure project this year, CNA visits Central Asia, where the BRI was first set in motion, to take stock of the changes that have occurred.
The massive infrastructure project, sometimes referred to as the new Silk Road, aims to transform world trade by facilitating the shipment of goods from China to Europe by rail, instead of by sea.CENTRAL ASIA: Ten years ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping first unveiled his vision for the Belt and Road Initiative during a visit to Kazakhstan.
The overland route through landlocked Central Asia saves more than half the time needed to transport the goods by sea. “China is developing as a manufacturer and we are developing as a transit country. The end customers – Russia, Europe and Central Asia – also benefit from that. It’s all mutual. I cannot say that one party benefits more or takes advantage of another. Every party has a mutual interest in this,” he said.
According to several Chinese reports, the number of Chinese enterprises operating in the double-landlocked nation has grown to more than 2,000 last year, up from about 1,800 in 2021. Today, the nation is eager to attract international tourists by capitalising on its heritage as a node on the ancient trade route.
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