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| World’s Longest Rail Route Part of China’s ‘Silk Road’ Revival |
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Setting off on a thirteen-thousand-kilometer journey,
thirty containers of consumer goods
left the Chinese coastal city of Yiwu in November
and arrived in Madrid three weeks later,
cutting in half
the time the journey would have taken by ship.
It's due to return
laden with Spanish wine and produce
in time for Chinese New Year in February.
China wants to improve infrastructure
to boost trade,
says Jonathan Fenby,
author of the book "Will China Dominate the 21st Century?"
"That is a rail link now
from Chongqing in southwest China through Russia,
which ends in Duisberg in Germany."
Freight rail links now connect Germany and China
five times a week,
transporting everything
from parts for BMW cars
to Hewlett Packard computers.
China is investing heavily
in European infrastructure.
Premier Li Keqiang attended
the opening of a $167 million, Chinese-built bridge
over the River Danube
in Serbia last month.
His Serbian counterpart,
Aleksandar Vucic, hailed the investment.
Those plans include the construction of a $1.9 billion high speed
rail link
between Belgrade and Budapest in Hungary,
signed off in a ceremony in December.
Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi, says
the huge investments are part of a new approach
to global relations.
China's 'Silk Road Dream' dance troupe has been performing
across south Asia in recent months
to highlight China's vision
of re-establishing the old trade routes.
Beijing has pledged $40 billion
to improve infrastructure.
The foreign investment drive aims
to strengthen Beijing's presence
on the world stage,
but it's also partly enforced
by falling domestic growth,
says Jonathan Fenby.
"A lot of structural weaknesses in China.
Everything from the financial system
to the environment.
And we're at a point now
where I think the present Chinese leadership first of all is ready
to accept slower growth.
But also there is an awareness in China
of the need to get to grips
with all these big problems."
With Europe facing economic stagnation,
the Chinese investment has been welcomed,
and analysts note that
European concerns over human rights and democracy in China
are taking a back seat.
Henry Ridgwell for VOA News, London |
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