Why China plans to run trains from Kunming all the way to Singapore
- June 30, 2024
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
No Comments
Why China plans to run trains from Kunming all the way to Singapore
Sub: IR
Sec: Places in news
Context:
- During his visit to Malaysia, Chinese Premier Li Qiang expressed China‘s willingness to connect its railway projects in Malaysia, Laos, and Thailand to enhance regional connectivity.
- Li attended the groundbreaking ceremony for Malaysia’s East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) Gombak Integrated Terminal Station with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
ECRL Project Overview:
- The ECRL project is a nearly $10 billion investment connecting Kota Bharu on Malaysia’s northeastern coast with Port Klang on the west coast.
- Expected to bring significant economic benefits through improved connectivity, freight movement, and tourism.
- Described as the biggest economic and trade cooperation project between China and Malaysia by Chinese state media.
ECRL Project Challenges and Progress:
- Initiated in 2017 but stalled due to funding constraints, now expected to be completed by 2027.
- Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad suspended the project in 2018 due to high costs.
- Domestic politics, including the embezzlement scandal involving Mahathir’s predecessor Najib Razak, also impacted the project.
- Resumed in 2020 after a new deal with China at a lower cost.
Pan-Asian Rail Network Concept:
- Proposed infrastructure projects to link Southeast Asian countries, dating back to European colonial rule.
- The pan-Asian rail network includes three main links from Kunming via Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam, connecting to Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore.
- Aims to enhance regional economic growth and cooperation.
Current Status of the Pan-Asian Railway Project:
- Operational section: Laos-China section since 2021, connecting north and south Laos with Kunming.
- Thailand’s segment faces high costs and government reluctance for Chinese assistance, with potential delays.
- Economic benefits and demand for the project are questioned; variations in railway track widths and preferences for air travel and maritime shipping are challenges.
China’s Interest in Regional Connectivity:
- The pan-Asian railway plans predate Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
- China has significant influence in Southeast Asia due to geography and economic ties, with trade volume between China and ASEAN reaching USD 911.7 billion in 2023.
- BRI aims to strengthen these ties, despite concerns about the terms of financing and accusations of “debt trap diplomacy.”
- China seeks to leverage economic ties through infrastructure investments to build goodwill and trust, amid regional apprehensions over its territorial claims in the South China Sea.
Source: IE