China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is intensifying its westward integration with Central Asia while expanding southward through the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, according to data from the China Railway Nanning Group. These logistics networks now link Eurasian markets with ASEAN countries, facilitating record-breaking freight volumes and deepening cross-border trade cooperation.
Westward Expansion and China-Central Asia Cooperation
The strategic pivot toward Central Asia is anchored by a high-quality cooperation plan established between China and the five Central Asian nations: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. Following the second China-Central Asia Summit held in Astana, Kazakhstan, in June 2025, these nations committed to a comprehensive framework to streamline trade and infrastructure development.
According to Sun Weidong, secretary-general of the China-Central Asia Mechanism Secretariat, the partnership prioritizes the multilateral trading system centered on the World Trade Organization (WTO). Official data confirms that trade volume between China and these five nations surpassed the 100 billion dollar mark for the first time last year. Infrastructure projects, most notably the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, are currently under construction to solidify these transit corridors.
Growth of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor
Complementing the westward rail links, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor has emerged as a primary logistical artery for southern China. Managed in part by the China Railway Nanning Group, the corridor transported 660,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of cargo during the first half of this year, representing an average monthly volume of 110,000 TEUs.
The corridor’s efficiency is attributed to intermodal rail-sea transport. This multimodal approach reduces transit times by a significant margin compared to traditional river-sea shipping along the Yangtze River, while shortening the physical distance from over 2,000 kilometers to less than 1,000 kilometers.
Supply Chain Stability and Global Reach
The integration of these corridors has provided a buffer for manufacturing hubs in southwestern China, including Chongqing, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou. The data reveals a significant shift in export patterns:
- ASEAN Connectivity: Raw material shipments via Qinzhou East port to ASEAN nations reached 72,000 TEUs this year, a significant increase year-over-year.
- Automotive Exports: Exports of automotive parts and motorcycles from Chongqing and Chengdu via the rail-sea corridor grew significantly compared to the previous year, totaling 38,000 TEUs.
- Global Scope: The corridor now services 1,362 categories of freight, connecting 76 Chinese cities to 593 ports across 128 countries and regions.
To accommodate this sustained demand, China Railway Nanning Group is upgrading key infrastructure, including the construction of a second rail line on the Qinzhou-Fangchenggang section and new links between Qinzhou East and the Qinzhou port. These investments are intended to ensure the long-term capacity of the network as it continues to function as a core element of the broader Belt and Road Initiative.
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