© depositphotos/ffikretow This will make it possible to connect Europe and Asia, bypassing sea routes and Russia.
China is quietly creating alternative routes for exporting goods to Europe, bypassing the South China Sea, to avoid tensions with the US and its allies in the region, Euronews writes.
The mountain city of Chongqing has become a key hub for a new land trade corridor that some experts are already calling the “new Suez Canal.”
The route is served by rail and is expected to become Asia’s most important logistics hub. According to the South China Morning Post, Chongqing has quickly become a strategic point in China’s trade network. If the model proves successful, the government could launch similar investments in the country’s western regions.
The city handles hundreds of shipments every day, connecting Southeast Asian countries — such as Vietnam and Singapore — with Europe, including Germany and Poland, via high-speed freight trains.
Land delivery takes 10-20 days less than traditional sea routes and greatly simplifies customs procedures. The launch of the ASEAN high-speed line in 2023 has reduced the transit time between Hanoi and Chongqing to five days, and goods can then reach Europe in less than two weeks.
In addition to its strategic location, Chongqing is a powerful manufacturing center: about a third of all laptops in the world are manufactured here, there is a large electric vehicle production base, and a quarter of all Chinese automotive exports are formed.
Observers say the choice of Chongqing has not only logistical but also geopolitical reasons. The trade war with the United States under President Donald Trump has exposed the dangers of relying on Western-controlled sea lanes, including the Suez Canal and the Straits of Hormuz and Malacca. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed the vulnerability of maritime supply chains.
In the context of the war in Ukraine and the seizure of Chinese cargo in 2023, the route through Russia has also become riskier, despite the fact that bilateral trade reached 240 billion euros in 2024. Therefore, Beijing is developing the so-called “Middle Corridor” through Kazakhstan and the Caspian Sea to avoid both Russia and the sea straits.
However, China faces numerous challenges: customs delays, high costs, weak infrastructure, and financial instability. Many routes, especially those under the Belt and Road Initiative, have so far required government subsidies to remain attractive to exporters.
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