The «One Belt, One Road» concept is an international initiative of China aimed at improving existing and creating new trade routes. It was first announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping in autumn 2013 during visits to Kazakhstan and Indonesia.

Central Asia, the Caucasus, Turkey, and Eastern Europe have great industrial infrastructure potential for the development of a rail Middle Corridor. But without China’s geoeconomic policy push, there is therefore still little economic rationale behind the development of corridor