By Wei Jigang ＆Liu Qigang, Research Team on “The Belt and Road Infrastructure Inter-Connectivity”

Research Report No. 59, 2017 (Total 5134) 2017-5-18

Abstract: Railway is the main artery of the national economy, and the main axis of the Silk Road Economic Belt. To promote the Belt and Road railway infrastructure inter-connectivity project, China, as the starting point, needs to be connected with Russia, Mongolia, Japan and South Korea on the northeast, with Europe, Middle and West Asia and Africa on the northwest, and with Indo-China Peninsula, India and Pakistan on the southwest. With regard to the project, the government needs to build three major economic radiation zones to drive the development of surrounding areas, construct land channels for China’s energy supply and business exchanges with relevant countries and regions, enhance China's railway technology standards, encourage Chinese companies and relevant industries relating to technical equipment, engineering construction, operation management to participate in overseas infrastructure development and engage in cooperation with local businesses and build up a safe and efficient international railway corridor to push on the Belt and Road Initiative with rational functional layout and standard configuration for application. In addition, the government needs to establish a steering committee to promote and coordinate standardized operation of the transportation between China and Europe, promote the international railway construction in an orderly manner, improve the construction of the domestic road network in the western region and speed up the internationalization of railway standards. Key words: the Belt and Road Initiative, railway, inter-connectivity