China eyes rail link with South Asia
Proposes 3,000-km line from Yunnan to Kolkata via Ctg, Dhaka
Besides being part of the transit corridor with India, Bhutan and Nepal, Bangladesh could find herself as the hub of another such connectivity network involving India, China and Myanmar.
China proposes to build a high-speed 3,000-kilometre railway line between Kolkata and Kunming, capital city of south western Chinese province of Yunnan. The line would pass through Mandalay in Myanmar and Chittagong, Dhaka in Bangladesh.
The Kunming-Kolkata link would be part of Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor aimed at boosting trade and investment.
The project could be funded through China's Silk Road Development Fund or China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Fund, Li Jiming, vice-secretary general of Yunnan province, was quoted by a group of Indian journalists in their reports published there.
The journalists were taken to the province recently at the Chinese government's invitation.
"The proposal has been discussed with India and other countries. It will be beneficial for all of us as it will facilitate trade and people-to-people contact," Li said, adding that the response from Bangladesh and Myanmar was encouraging.
"We could fund the project through the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and other agencies."
The four countries have agreed on building and encouraging road, rail, air and waterways connectivity among each other, besides laying power transmission lines and oil pipelines. China has started building a highway network.
"We are already constructing network of highways in our domestic territory which has a border with Myanmar. Response from Bangladesh and India is also encouraging," Li said.
The corridor will harness economic activity, promote investment and trade, and facilitate people-to-people contact, he said. To promote the concept, China organised the China-South Asia Expo in Kunming, where more than 100 Indian companies, including Tata Group firms, Infosys and Jet Airways took part.
On June 15, transport ministers of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal signed an agreement in Thimphu, Bhutan, to facilitate seamless movement of passengers and cargo vehicles across the countries.