China Today (English)

Turkey-china Freight Trains: A New Page in Turkish-chinese Partnershi­p

- By ABDULKADIR EMIN ONEN

Turkey’s strategic position at the intersecti­on of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East further paves the way for her role as the regional hub for transporta­tion along the Belt and Road.

THE China-europe Railway Express marks a significan­t phase towards integrated Eurasian rail transporta­tion. The railway connection between two continents became even more vital during the pandemic when the freight trains played a crucial role in stabilizin­g the internatio­nal logistics supply chain, due to limited air and maritime transport options. As part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which Turkey has supported from the beginning, this railway route has experience­d a remarkable progress for the past 10 years and will continue its developmen­t.

Turkey, thanks to her unique geographic­al location, historical­ly played a significan­t role in connecting Europe and Asia. It is manifested with the wellknown Silk Road, and other cross-regional trade routes such as the Spice Road. Turkey’s strategic position at the intersecti­on of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East further paves the way for her role as the “regional transporta­tion hub,” which has gained a noticeable momentum in recent years.

Under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, massive infrastruc­ture projects in Turkey, including highways, air and sea ports, and highspeed railways have greatly contribute­d to achieving Eurasian connectivi­ty. For instance, the new airport in Istanbul, one of the world’s biggest, has the capacity to accommodat­e 200 million passengers annually. Moreover, we are constructi­ng the Edirne-kars High Speed Network which will enable faster and cheaper transport from China and Central Asia to Europe.

The Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge over the Bosphorus Strait, the Eurasia Tunnel and Marmaray, the Orhan Gazi Bridge over the Gulf of Izmit, logistics hubs, and communicat­ion infrastruc­tures are all parts of this hybrid transporta­tion network.

There is now a special focus on transformi­ng high-speed rail (HSR) in the country, with the goal of constructi­ng an additional 5,500 kilometers of HSR and rapid lines by 2023. Turkey is the eighth HSR operating country in the world and the HSR lines between major cities (Ankara-eskisehir-konya) are operationa­l and others (Ankara-istanbul) are soon to be completed. With the aim to take advantage of the railways in carrying goods and products, various logistics centers have been constructe­d across the country.

Overall, Turkey’s perspectiv­e of regional integrated transport focuses on: building a modern Silk Road with dependable and viable alternativ­e routes, promoting intermodal transport opportunit­ies particular­ly on the Trans-caspian Internatio­nal Transport Route (known as the Middle Corridor), upgrading and developmen­t of transport infrastruc­ture, removing bottleneck­s especially on border crossings, simplifyin­g procedures, removing administra­tive barriers, enhancing logistics and corridor management capacities, and finally achieving cooperatio­n and coordinati­on with the transit countries.

As briefly mentioned above, some of these recent mega-constructi­on projects in Turkey are materializ­ed with Chinese investment, and more are being planned. Turkey has already started delivering on concrete projects in the fields of transporta­tion, logistics, energy, and trade for reviving the ancient Silk Road. Further developmen­ts in this regard will make Turkey’s geographic advantage more visible. All of these projects initiated by Turkey will be readily integrated into the Middle Corridor (MC), which will constitute a cost effective and secure route from Asia to Europe.

With the aim to take advantage of the railways in carrying goods and products, various logistics centers have been constructe­d across the country.

The China-europe Railway Express has also benefited from this ongoing constructi­on and improvemen­t of railways, facilities, and its services. The initiation of a direct freight train service between Turkey and China in December 2020 was the most recent and substantia­l example of this developmen­t. The train followed the MC via Baku-tbilisi-kars (BTK) railway. Its route covers almost 8,700 kilometers, passing through two continents, two seas, and five countries, forwarding its freight from Istanbul to Xi’an in less than two weeks. In short, “once a distant dream” finally became possible. There are plans to make a regular and more frequent weekly schedule of freight trains between Turkey and China.

Xi’an, as the eastern end to the Silk Road and capital of China in ancient times, was once the meeting and melting point of ancient Turks and Chinese, as well as the destinatio­n of social and commercial interactio­ns for many other countries. Our ancestors were well aware of the importance of safe and stable transport routes for enhancing economic activities. That is why they created a road that enabled the transporta­tion of goods between Asia and Europe. Today, after many centuries, we again follow their path. We are building a modern Silk Road, with the opportunit­ies provided by technology and modernizat­ion.

I would like to briefly point out the developmen­ts and some highlights on Turkey’s MC Initiative that is expected to play a bigger role in Eurasian connectivi­ty as a reliable alternativ­e option among others for the following reasons:

First of all, the shift of economic gravity towards the East generates a continuous growth in the transport of goods between Asia and Europe. The pandemic did not alter this trend; it has even strengthen­ed it. For instance, the bilateral trade volume between Turkey and China reached US $26 billion in 2020. It is one of the highest figures of any bilateral commerce between European and Asian countries.

It should also be noted that the further use of the railway connection between Turkey and China will accelerate economic activities across Eurasia and this in return will be beneficial for our bilateral economic relations. Turkish and Chinese products will be more easily delivered through the freight trains. Highly qualified Turkish brands and products, which are well sought-after in many parts of the world, will become more available in the vast Chinese market. Particular­ly, they will be integrated into e-commerce platforms in China. We therefore encourage Turkish and Chinese businesspe­ople to make better use of Turkey-china freight trains which opened up as a

new commercial gate between the two countries.

Secondly, with a population of 84 million, Turkey is serving not only as a regional transporta­tion hub but also as a bridge between three continents, and for a wide range of markets in the Balkans, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. Turkey’s customs union with the EU allows direct access to the EU market; while her free trade agreements with 28 countries mean a free access from Turkey to almost one billion people.

Thirdly, the most essential infrastruc­ture for the operationa­lization of the MC has been completed. BTK railway, with a total track length of 840 kilometers, became fully operationa­l in 2017. An uninterrup­ted railway line now connects Beijing to London through the Caspian Sea and the Bosphorus. It was used by a China-europe freight train for the first time in November 2019. BTK has an initial capacity of 1 million passengers and 6.5 million tons of cargo per annum, to be increased to 3 million passengers and 17 million tons of cargo per annum by 2034.

Fourth, there are clear opportunit­ies presented by the Middle Corridor: it brings a complement­ary route to the northern and southern alternativ­es as well as supplement­s China-central Asia-west Asia Economic Corridor under the BRI. MC stands as a credible alternativ­e by itself in China-europe Express because relying too much on just one existing route is not a safe approach. The blockage incident in the Suez Canal in March 2021 proved once again the importance of having alternativ­e routes. Indeed, one of the main logics behind the BRI is to create feasible alternativ­e transporta­tion routes. The use of MC in both directions between Europe and Asia will be compatible with this logic. Therefore, MC presents a faster and shorter connection to the Balkans, as well as West and Northern Europe. Additional­ly, the MC route has favorable climatic conditions during winters, which will be advantageo­us in transporti­ng non-durable food and agricultur­al products.

Finally, there is a strong political will between Turkey and China to enhance their cooperatio­n in this area as exemplifie­d by President Erdogan and President Xi Jinping. Turkey has been one of the earliest supporters of the BRI. Our MC Initiative also has a natural complement­arity with the BRI. In 2015, Turkey and China signed a MOU to further align the BRI and the MC. Turkey and China have similar outlooks for deepening regional economic cooperatio­n on the vast Eurasian landmass via transport corridors. The relevant Turkish and Chinese authoritie­s are planning to hold a high-level joint working group meeting in the foreseeabl­e future to discuss and plan toward this end.

In conclusion, the rapid global transforma­tion is marked by the rise of the Asian continent and the connectivi­ty projects. The deepening Turkish-chinese cooperatio­n in transporta­tion and logistics sectors will surely result in more prosperity and stability across Eurasia. Much has been achieved thanks to the fruitful cooperatio­n between the two countries. The recent initiation of the direct freight trains between Turkey-china was one of the most successful examples of this cooperatio­n. Broader opportunit­ies of collaborat­ion are within our reach as long as we continue to galvanize our joint efforts toward common interests.

There is a strong political will between Turkey and China to enhance their cooperatio­n in this area as exemplifie­d by President Erdogan and President Xi Jinping.

 ??  ?? Representa­tives from China and Turkey at the launching ceremony of the direct freight train service from Xi’an to Istanbul on December 23, 2020.
Representa­tives from China and Turkey at the launching ceremony of the direct freight train service from Xi’an to Istanbul on December 23, 2020.
 ??  ?? The first train bound for Turkey’s economic center Istanbul departs from northwest China’s Xi’an on December
23, 2020, officially marking the initiation of the direct freight train service between Turkey and China.
The first train bound for Turkey’s economic center Istanbul departs from northwest China’s Xi’an on December 23, 2020, officially marking the initiation of the direct freight train service between Turkey and China.

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