China is gradually reorienting its trade routes, investing in the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor, which allows it to deliver goods to Europe bypassing Russia and Belarus via Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Turkey, reducing delivery times and decreasing dependence on Russian logistics. This was reported by the Foreign Intelligence Service, writes UNN.
While the Kremlin is at war against Ukraine and the West is strangling Russia with sanctions, Beijing is quietly doing what hurts Moscow the most: erasing it from its own trade map. China is ramping up investments in the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route – a corridor connecting the country with Europe via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey, completely bypassing Russia and Belarus
Beijing's calculation is simple: traditional logistics routes through Russia have turned into a minefield due to the war in Ukraine, and the situation in the Middle East has added risks to the southern routes as well. Keeping supply chains dependent on Moscow has become too dangerous for China.
The route, approximately 4,750 kilometers long, shows figures that make the old dependence on Russia economically pointless. Cargo delivery takes 15–18 days – three times faster than sea freight between China and Europe, which usually stretches to 45–60 days.
As the intelligence notes, Beijing is not investing symbolic amounts. Chinese state-owned companies have already invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the corridor's infrastructure. In particular, Beijing provided about $70 million in grant aid and equipment worth approximately $2 million for the port of Baku, and Chinese companies participated in the construction of a new seaport in Kazakhstan's Aktau worth $300 million.
The route combines railways, highways, and sea crossings across the Caspian. The capacity is still limited, but analysts have no doubt: Beijing has enough financial resources and experience to bring the corridor to full capacity.
The war launched by Russia against Ukraine, along with Western sanctions, has effectively forced China to seek routes that bypass the territory of the aggressor country. The new route gives Beijing what Moscow can no longer provide: diversification, resilience, and independence from others' geopolitical adventures
Turkey is also interested in the development of the Trans-Caspian Corridor. Ankara and Beijing signed a memorandum in 2015 to link this initiative with China's "One Belt, One Road" project. And in early June, the key section of the route – the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway – began operating at full capacity, finally closing the geographical gap in the bypass route around Russia.