Yunnan to enhance connectivity with neighbors

Recently, China’s National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Transport,the National Railway Administration and the China Railway Corporation jointly released the “13th Five-year Development Plan for Railways.” As China brakes new ground in pursuing its path of opening-up on all fronts through the Belt and Road Initiative -- with construction as a major focus --railways represent an important area and a priority for future international cooperation.

Therefore, China will continue to promote internal railway construction, focusing on the central and western regions of the country while strengthening railway projects in areas with high populations of ethnic minorities, along the borders and in impoverished regions.

The railway plan also proposes to enhance connectivity with surrounding countries. China will pursue its Belt and Road arrangements and an overall plan for infrastructure connectivity with surrounding countries. This will be done by strengthening international cooperative mechanisms that jointly promote the construction of ‘backbone railways’ connecting China to other countries.Bilateral and multilateral exploitation of mineral resources and tourism resources will also be sped up, as will the construction of cross-border railways and associated support facilities.Strengthening cooperation with overseas land hubs is also a priority.

This will be accomplished by building a secure,smooth, connected and comprehensive transportation network. The plan lists key railways and port railway projects, such as Dali-Ruili, Yuxi-Mohan and Fangchenggang-Dongxing railways and the Ruili, Mohan and Dongxing railway ports. These programmes further highlight the position of Yunnan as an important node in the construction of the Y-shaped China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, as well as the China-Laos Economic Corridor.

Further reading:

The Dali-Ruili Railway is an important part of the China-Myanmar international railway channel, and the westernmost route of the Pan-Asian Railway.It extends for about 330 kilometres across Yunnan province between Dali in the east and Ruili in the west. It is expected to be completed in 2022.When it goes into operation, a train journey between Dali and Ruili will be shortened to about three hours.

The Yuxi-Mohan Railway is the Chinese section of the middle route of the Pan-Asian Railway.It will extend for 507 kilometres in Yunnan province between Yuxi and the port of Mohan on the China-Laos border. Construction of this railroad begin in April 2016. Upon completion of the project,it will take only 3.7 hours to travel from Kunming to Xishuangbanna by train.