India has commenced rebuilding its section of the Stilwell Road, a road that will link southwest China and northeast India and whose completion is expected to be a major boost to trade and tourism between the two Asian powers.
A former World War II supply route, the road is named after US General Joe Stilwell, who oversaw its construction in 1944. The 1,700-kilometer (1,000-mile) road once connected Kunming with the city of Ledo in Assam state, with most of the road passing through northern Myanmar. Only 61 kilometers of the road are in India, which had been reluctant to renovate the road out of security and drug trafficking concerns.
China has already completed renovations on its 600-kilometer segment, which has been upgraded to a six-lane expressway. China has also been assisting Myanmar with construction of its 1,000-kilometer segment of the road, which would be the first viable overland transport link between China and India.
In recent years China and India have emerged from decades of icy relations with a new to increase economic and governmental interaction. Progress has been made on some unresolved border issues and bilateral trade has rocketed from a paltry US$2 billion in 1999 to around US$18 billion in 2005.
Goods transported between the two countries via the renovated road would take two days to make the trip. At present, sea cargo between must pass south of Singapore and through the Malacca Strait. Reopening the Stilwell Road would cut the distance between China and India by 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles).
The primary variable in the road's renovation is Myanmar. It is still unclear both how much in terms of resources Myanmar is willing to put into its segment of the road and how much China and India will step in to expedite completion. China is especially keen to see the road opened and will likely do all it can to open this backdoor to India sooner rather than later.
A former World War II supply route, the road is named after US General Joe Stilwell, who oversaw its construction in 1944. The 1,700-kilometer (1,000-mile) road once connected Kunming with the city of Ledo in Assam state, with most of the road passing through northern Myanmar. Only 61 kilometers of the road are in India, which had been reluctant to renovate the road out of security and drug trafficking concerns.
China has already completed renovations on its 600-kilometer segment, which has been upgraded to a six-lane expressway. China has also been assisting Myanmar with construction of its 1,000-kilometer segment of the road, which would be the first viable overland transport link between China and India.
In recent years China and India have emerged from decades of icy relations with a new to increase economic and governmental interaction. Progress has been made on some unresolved border issues and bilateral trade has rocketed from a paltry US$2 billion in 1999 to around US$18 billion in 2005.
Goods transported between the two countries via the renovated road would take two days to make the trip. At present, sea cargo between must pass south of Singapore and through the Malacca Strait. Reopening the Stilwell Road would cut the distance between China and India by 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles).
The primary variable in the road's renovation is Myanmar. It is still unclear both how much in terms of resources Myanmar is willing to put into its segment of the road and how much China and India will step in to expedite completion. China is especially keen to see the road opened and will likely do all it can to open this backdoor to India sooner rather than later.
Yunnan moves toward greater integration with Vietnam
Tuesday, 17th April 2007Chris ~ Link ~ Comments (1)
The transportation ministries of Yunnan and Vietnam's Lao Cai province signed an agreement earlier this month which will expedite border-crossing procedures for vehicles carrying cargo or passengers between the neighboring provinces.
The agreement will benefit trucking firms, which will no longer be required to unload their cargo at the border for transport via other trucks. Tourist and passenger services between Yunnan and Lao Cai will also be expedited, giving travelers from Yunnan easier access to destinations including Lao Cai City, Sa Pa and Van Ban.
China's Ministry of Communications and Vietnam's Ministry of Transport also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) earlier in the month paving the way for China to help its neighbor to the south build four expressways that will further integrate the two countries' road networks.
According to Chinese government statistics, Vietnam overtook Myanmar as Yunnan's largest Southeast Asian trading partner in January of this year.
The Hanoi-Haiphong and Hanoi-Lao Cai expressways are of particular significance to Kunming as they will provide a road link via the Chinese border city of Hekou to the port of Haiphong - the closest port to Kunming. A 400-kilometer expressway connecting Kunming with Hekou is scheduled for completion this year.
The Hanoi-Lang Son expressway will connect the Vietnamese city with an expressway into Nanning, capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, via the Chinese border city of Youyiguan. Goods traveling into Guangxi will be able to continue on to major cities in and around Guangdong province including Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. No timetable for completion of the roads has been given.
Image: China Daily
