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New cargo routes from China to Azerbaijan’s Alat port

The establishment of new cargo routes from China to Azerbaijan’s Alat port is a significant development, primarily driven by the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor. This route is gaining increasing prominence as a viable and efficient alternative to the traditional Northern Corridor (through Russia) and longer maritime routes via the Suez Canal.

The key aspects:

1. Growing Importance of the Middle Corridor:

– Alternative Route: Geopolitical factors and disruptions in traditional supply chains have led Chinese freight operators to increasingly utilize overland routes, particularly the Middle Corridor.

– Faster Transit Times: The Middle Corridor offers significantly reduced transit times from China to Europe (20-25 days by train), which is roughly half the time needed for maritime shipping through the Suez Canal.

– Increased Cargo Volume: Cargo transit along the TITR has surged dramatically, from 600,000 tonnes in 2021 to 4.5 million tonnes in 2024, with projections reaching 5.2 million tonnes in 2025 and 10 million tonnes annually by 2027. Chinese container block trains using the corridor also skyrocketed from 10-12 trains in 2023 to 390 in 2024.

2. Alat Port’s Central Role:

– Strategic Location: The Port of Baku in Alat is a critical hub within the Middle Corridor, ideally positioned at the intersection of various road, rail, and sea transit routes connecting Central Asia, the Black Sea, and Turkey.

– Infrastructure Development: Azerbaijan has heavily invested in modernizing and expanding its logistics infrastructure, including the Alat Port and its railway network.

– Capacity Expansion: The Alat Port’s annual cargo capacity is being expanded from 15 million tonnes to 25 million tonnes, with a focus on increasing container handling capacity (from 100,000 TEUs to 500,000 TEUs in the second phase of expansion). This includes the construction of new container terminals, additional berths, and improved rail intermodal facilities.

– Intermodal Terminal: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and China have signed an agreement to establish an intermodal cargo terminal at the Port of Baku in Alat. This terminal will cover 40 hectares and include a universal cargo area, a 5,000 square meter indoor warehouse, and a container yard for over 1,000 containers, designed to handle various cargo types across maritime, rail, and road transport.

3. Recent Developments and Future Outlook:

– New Routes Launched: A new cargo route linking Jinhua (China) to Turkmenistan’s port of Turkmenbashi has recently been launched. Goods from there are transported across the Caspian Sea to Baku, integrating seamlessly with Azerbaijan’s westward transit channels.

– Trial Shipments and Regular Services: Trial shipments from various Chinese cities like Jinan, Qingdao, and Xi’an have successfully reached Baku via this multimodal route, saving considerable time. There are plans to significantly increase freight train traffic, with projections of exceeding 1,000 block trains annually from China to Azerbaijan and Europe by 2025.

– Collaboration and Partnerships: There’s enhanced collaboration between Azerbaijan, China, and other regional players (like Kazakhstan and Georgia) to streamline operations, harmonize customs procedures, and attract further investment in the corridor. Chinese Railway Container Transport Corp. Ltd. (CRCT) has even joined “Middle Corridor Multimodal LLC,” a joint venture co-founded by Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Georgia, to facilitate regular container block train shipments.

– Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: Azerbaijan and China have signed a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” which emphasizes transport and logistics as essential components, with Azerbaijan committing to boosting the Middle Corridor’s capacity.

In essence, the establishment and rapid development of new cargo routes from China to Azerbaijan’s Alat port are a cornerstone of the broader Middle Corridor initiative, reflecting a strategic shift in East-West trade toward a faster, more secure, and increasingly efficient land-sea route that bypasses Russia and offers a robust alternative to traditional maritime shipping.

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Astan Light Rail (LRT)

The Astan Light Rail (LRT) project, a significant undertaking in Kazakhstan’s capital, is nearing completion and represents the first light rail system in Central Asia, built entirely to Chinese standards.

Train Arrival and Current Status:

– First Trains in Astana: The initial two trains for the LRT system arrived in Astana in early June 2025 (around June 9-12) and were successfully placed on the elevated tracks. These trains were manufactured by CRRC Tangshan in China.

– Total Fleet: Astana is set to receive a total of 19 four-car, fully automated driverless trains. The remaining 17 trainsets are expected to be delivered by the end of 2025.

– Testing Phase: Trial operations for the LRT line are scheduled to commence in September 2025.

– Full Operation: The full passenger service for the Astan Light Rail is anticipated to begin in early 2026.

Project Progress and Challenges:

– Construction Nearing Completion: Most of the construction work on the 22.4-kilometer elevated line (with 18 stations) is largely complete. Current work involves track laying, station façade installation, painting of viaduct columns and beams, connecting utility networks, and landscaping.

– Overcoming Climate Challenges: Astana’s extreme winter temperatures (down to -50°C) posed significant construction hurdles. Chinese teams implemented special cold-resistant materials, developed cold-weather construction techniques (e.g., specific concrete admixtures and warming methods), and adjusted schedules to ensure progress.

– Logistical Feats: The construction included notable efforts like prefabricating the 2,598-ton Ishim River Bridge steel structure in China and transporting it over 4,600 kilometers to Astana for assembly.

Train Features and Design:

– Chinese Standards: The entire light rail system, from design to technology, adheres to Chinese standards.

– Automated Operation: Trains will operate with fully automatic, unmanned driving technology (GoA4 automation).

– Capacity and Speed: Each four-car train is 60 meters long, can carry up to 650 passengers, and has a top speed of 80 km/h.

– Climate Adaptation: Trains are equipped with advanced heating systems for winter and efficient ventilation for summer, along with features like heated windshields to prevent fogging.

– Passenger Comfort: The trains feature noise reduction (thick windows, sound-absorbing panels, elastic wheels), spacious leather seats, display screens, and interiors reflecting Kazakhstan’s national flag colors. Stations are designed with modern aesthetics, glass curtain walls, blue-and-white interiors, automatic glass doors for safety and heat retention, and accessible features like escalators and elevators.

Impact and Public Reception:

– The project is highly anticipated by Astana’s residents, who have shown enthusiasm for the train arrivals and express excitement about significantly reduced commute times (e.g., from 90 minutes to 30 minutes for some routes).

– Upon full operation, the LRT is expected to serve 25,000 passengers daily initially, with a peak capacity of 92,000, and is projected to substantially upgrade Astana’s transportation infrastructure and boost its economic and social development. It is seen as a flagship project under China’s Belt and Road Initiative, demonstrating China’s infrastructure capabilities and international cooperation. https://www.facebook.com/jeff.mah.5/videos/1548698735925796/?__cft__[0]=AZUzv8tu28dfA7wTTBjoWF6EE70eKJGubk3vvLS6ilpHpmS-ZjzEqeb9pPMOI3Ftr_b_6q2zsxNhiwzW7ePbiyFufPe3CsYprM0lWdvWcOScO09hp51yELEGyWj5YMGa1XKW2kJG6f25U2264IHHTr3nOQQLtwzv05k95mTOlBZOQg&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

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Second China-Central Asia Summit

The Second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana marks a significant continuation and deepening of cooperation established at the inaugural summit in Xi’an in May 2023. The consensus to “uphold the ‘China-Central Asia spirit,’ persist in permanent good-neighborliness and friendship, and collaboratively advance the construction of a China-Central Asia community with a shared future” highlights a commitment to a long-term, comprehensive partnership.

1. “China-Central Asia Spirit” and Political Trust:

Deepened Mutual Trust: The “China-Central Asia Spirit” is characterized by “mutual respect, mutual trust, mutual benefit, and mutual assistance for the joint pursuit of modernization through high-quality development.” This has translated into closer political dialogue and coordination on regional and international issues.

Legal Foundation: A major step forward is the signing of a treaty on “eternal good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation” at the Astana summit. This legally enshrines the principle of everlasting friendship and provides a solid foundation for future relations.

Institutionalization: The establishment of the China-Central Asia mechanism and the regular Foreign Ministers’ Meeting mechanism in 2020, along with the creation of the China-Central Asia Secretariat in early 2024, demonstrates a strong move towards institutionalizing cooperation.

Support for Core Interests: Both sides have committed to firmly supporting each other in safeguarding independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national dignity, and in choosing development paths suitable to their respective national conditions.

2. Economic Cooperation and Trade:

Rapid Trade Growth: Since the Xi’an Summit, two-way trade has seen significant growth. In 2024, trade reached a record high of nearly $95 billion, up by $5.4 billion from the previous year, and is expected to exceed $100 billion in 2025. China remains Central Asia’s top trading partner and a major source of investment.

Diversified Trade: While Central Asia exports agricultural products like honey, fruits, wheat, and poultry to China, Chinese new energy vehicles (NEVs) and photovoltaic products are increasingly entering Central Asian markets. This includes Chinese-brand NEVs accelerating their entry, with 51,000 units exported to Central Asia through Khorgos Port in 2023 (a 608.5% increase).

Industrial Investment: There’s been important progress in industrial investment, with examples like China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation and Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group jointly acquiring a stake in Kazakhstan’s Allur Group, leading to a significant increase in automobile production and sales. BYD has also established an NEV factory in Uzbekistan.

Energy Cooperation: The China-Central Asia Gas Pipeline continues to be a major overland route for China’s natural gas imports, and cooperation in renewable energy (solar and wind power) is emerging.

Agricultural Cooperation: Chinese crop varieties, technologies, machinery, and agricultural supplies are flowing into Central Asia, while Central Asian agricultural products are diversifying Chinese markets.

3. Connectivity and Infrastructure (Belt and Road Initiative – BRI):

Central Role of BRI: The Belt and Road Initiative continues to play a central role in advancing cooperation, with Central Asia serving as a crucial gateway to Europe.

Railway Development:

China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) Railway: This is a flagship project with groundbreaking for mainline construction advancing. Once completed, it will provide Kyrgyzstan with its first direct route to the sea and serve as an important corridor connecting Asia-Pacific with Europe.

China-Europe Freight Trains: These services are expanding, with 4,725 trips made in the first four months of 2025, up 21% year-on-year, significantly enhancing transportation efficiency and quality.

Beijing-Central Asia Freight Train Service: A new service launched in March 2025, creating an efficient land corridor for exporting high-value, high-tech products from the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

Other Infrastructure: Projects like the China-Kazakhstan crude oil pipeline, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan highway, and the China-Tajikistan expressway are contributing to a more robust logistics network. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route has been upgraded and expanded.

Port Infrastructure and Airway Transportation: Efforts are being made to advance the upgrading of port infrastructure and further open up airway transportation markets, developing regional logistics networks.

4. People-to-People and Cultural Exchanges:

Visa-Free Arrangements: China has made mutual visa-free arrangements with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, facilitating significant travel between the countries (e.g., over 1.2 million travels between China and Kazakhstan in 2024).

Educational and Vocational Training: Progress has been made in establishing cultural centers, opening branches of Chinese universities, and launching Luban Workshops (e.g., in Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan) to cultivate technical talents and provide opportunities for youth.

Tourism and Cultural Events: Tourism and cultural years, as well as art festivals, are popular, with examples like the first cultural tourist train trip between Xi’an and Almaty.

Archaeological and Film Collaborations: Cultural cooperation is flourishing through joint film productions, book translations, and archaeological collaborations.

5. Emerging Areas of Cooperation:

Green Economy and Sustainable Development: Cooperation is expanding into green development, including the adoption of Chinese electric vehicles and investments by Chinese EV enterprises in the region. There is also alignment in national development strategies to promote sustainability and environmental protection.

Digital Economy and AI Development: Digital transformation, e-commerce, and AI development are becoming new drivers of cooperation, with China offering opportunities in these fields.

High-tech Cooperation: Beyond traditional sectors, there’s a growing focus on high-tech collaboration.

In essence, the Second China-Central Asia Summit builds on the strong foundation laid in Xi’an, emphasizing a comprehensive and long-term partnership across political, economic, security, and cultural spheres. The focus is on implementing existing consensuses and expanding cooperation into new and emerging areas, aiming to further integrate the region and achieve mutual development under the framework of a “China-Central Asia community with a shared future.”

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