The Middle Corridor. A Eurasian alternative to Russia

The• concerted• efforts• to• develop• the• Middle• Corridor• have• led• to• a  notable• acceleration•in•its•growth•and•capacity.•In•2017,•the•Middle•Corridor•handled• a  modest• 8900• TEUs,• but• this• figure• saw• a  significant• surge• of• nearly• 70%• to• 15,000• TEUs• in• 2018.• The• upward• trend• continued• in• 2019,• with• another• increase•of•over•70%,•reaching•26,000•TEUs.•However,•these•. [...] In•the•past•two•years,•there•has•been•a noticeable•increase•in•China’s•interest• in• the• Middle• Corridor.• While• the• route• has• been• acknowledged• in• Chinese• strategic•plans•as•one•of•the•branches•of•the•Belt•and•Road•Initiative•transport• corridors• from• the• outset,• the• practical• focus• post-2013• was• predominantly• on•the•route•through•Russia,•which•Beijing•deemed•a priority.•Sever. [...] 29 oSW rePorT 1/2024 connecting•the•cities•of•Ayagoz•and•Bachty•in•eastern•Kazakhstan,•commenced• in•December•2023,•with•a new•border•crossing•with•China•expected•to•open• in• 2027.44• Additionally,• the• railway• infrastructure• from• the• C. [...] The•international•transport•and•logistics•industry•recognises•the•promising• situation•for•the•Middle•Corridor’s•development,•as•it•understands•the•rapid• progress•which•may•be•possible•with•support• from•key•global•and•regional• 33 oSW rePorT 1/2024 players.• Having• gained• experience• from• the• development• of• the• Northern• Corridor,•the•industry•is•equipped•with•the•necessary•know-how•to•es. [...] •• Third,• Beijing’s• approach• will• be• pivotal• to• determining• the• cost• of• the• freight• going• through• the• Middle• Corridor.• As• with• the• Northern• Corri- dor,•China•could•offer•subsidies•for•goods•transport•and•support•in•infra- structure•enhancement•in•the•transit•countries.•Meeting•these•conditions• will•probably•reduce•transportation•costs•and•time•along•the•Middle•Cor- ridor,•fu.