Via Reconnecting Asia, a look at how the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is complemented by two other initiatives: the Chabahar International Transport and Transit Corridor; and the proposed Russia-Pakistan (Ru-Pak) Corridor The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), examined in the first part of this series, has developed slowly but steadily during its twenty years of existence. Although mired […]
Read more »Via Reconnecting Asia, an article on the North-South routes which consist of a bundle of land and sea multimodal corridors and connect South Asia to Northern Europe via the Persian Gulf and the Caspian region: While most heads were turned to the East-West transport arteries spearheaded by China’s Belt and Road investments, activity along the lesser […]
Read more »Via The National Interest, an article on signs that China’s ambitions with the Belt and Road Initiative—and all its digital components—are part of the sticky power of a new hegemony: China switched on the largest commercial 5G network to date on October 31, 2019. That’s when China’s three state-owned wireless carriers, China Mobile, China Unicorn, and […]
Read more »Via The Atlantic Council, an interesting look at Central Asia and the new Silk Road: With the signing of a US-Taliban peace agreement, now might be a good time to look ahead to how Afghanistan might strengthen its economic connectivity with both its neighbors and more distant markets. Now, there will be a 135-day period of […]
Read more »Via The Asia Times, a report that China is looking to the Irrawaddy River as alternative trade route as its high-speed rail plan stalls: Ethnic wars, security concerns and official foot-dragging have all conspired to stall China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) plan to build a high-speed railroad from its southwest down through Myanmar’s volatile northern […]
Read more »Via The New York Times, commentary on how the Trump administration sees former Soviet republics in the heart of Asia as critical battlegrounds in the struggle with China over global influence: Inside the ancient walls of the Silk Road oasis town of Khiva, China has put down a marker of its geopolitical ambitions. A sign promotes a […]
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