China to revive ‘Southern Silk Road’ with India?
10 Jun 2013 12:58 AM GMT
China is looking to revive the ancient ‘Southern Silk Road’ with South Asia through the economic corridor linking Bangladesh, China, India, and Myanmar (BCIM), a topic that figured prominently during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s recent India visit.
As it opened its first South Asia Expo currently being held in Kunming, provincial capital of Yunnan, China wants it to be the ‘bridge head’ with India and South Asia, Chinese officials said.
China is ready for the revival of the ‘Southern Silk Road’ and plans are under discussion, state-run Xinhua news agency quoted Yang Ye, a researcher with the Development Research Centre of Yunnan provincial government, as saying.
Chinese scholars say the ancient silk route, originating from China’s Chengdu city wandered through Myanmar and then extended to India, Bangladesh and even the Middle East.
Besides the 16 existing international transport lines linking Yunnan and some Great Mekong Sub-regional countries, seven trunk roads originating from Yunnan extending to neighbouring nations and provinces have been promoted as high-grade highways, the report said.
These include China-Vietnam Highway, China-Laos-Thailand Highway, China-Myanmar Highway, and a domestic section of China-India Highway.
With joint efforts by China, India, Myanmar and Bangladesh, a highway route starting from Yunnan to India by way of Myanmar have been approved by relevant departments of the four countries, Yang said.
As it opened its first South Asia Expo currently being held in Kunming, provincial capital of Yunnan, China wants it to be the ‘bridge head’ with India and South Asia, Chinese officials said.
China is ready for the revival of the ‘Southern Silk Road’ and plans are under discussion, state-run Xinhua news agency quoted Yang Ye, a researcher with the Development Research Centre of Yunnan provincial government, as saying.
Chinese scholars say the ancient silk route, originating from China’s Chengdu city wandered through Myanmar and then extended to India, Bangladesh and even the Middle East.
Besides the 16 existing international transport lines linking Yunnan and some Great Mekong Sub-regional countries, seven trunk roads originating from Yunnan extending to neighbouring nations and provinces have been promoted as high-grade highways, the report said.
These include China-Vietnam Highway, China-Laos-Thailand Highway, China-Myanmar Highway, and a domestic section of China-India Highway.
With joint efforts by China, India, Myanmar and Bangladesh, a highway route starting from Yunnan to India by way of Myanmar have been approved by relevant departments of the four countries, Yang said.
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