BEIJING: China’s new initiative to build a maritime silk route to boost connectivity between the Asia-Pacific region and the Indian Ocean will prioritise building ports and improving infrastructure in littoral countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, according to official reports.
China is also keen to establish free trade zones to boost its economic presence in Indian Ocean countries under the umbrella of the plan – a move that will reinforce China’s deepening economic presence in the Indian Ocean.
Since the plan’s inception last year, Chinese officials have highlighted the initiative as a key diplomatic priority for the government.
Nations ranging from Malaysia and Singapore to India, Sri Lanka and the Gulf countries have all been sounded out about the initiative. It has, however, remained unclear what the plan would actually entail. Officials are yet to detail specifics, beyond describing objectives as boosting maritime connectivity.
In the first official details about the plan, a State media report said a priority for the initiative was port construction and free trade zones. “The plan is expected to focus on infrastructure construction of countries along the route, including ports of Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh,” the official Xinhua news agency quoted the Chinese newspaper.
China is already involved in port projects in the three countries, i.e. Gwadar in Pakistan; Hambantota in Sri Lanka and Chittagong in Bangladesh.
China hopes to “coordinate customs, quality supervision, e-commerce and other agencies to facilitate the scheme,” as well as set up free trade zones, the report read.
China’s southern provinces of Yunnan – which borders Myanmar and is at the centre of another economic plan to build a Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) corridor – and Guangxi Zhuang may be tasked with pushing the plan.
The initiative was first proposed October last year. The plan was reinforced by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, who also visited ASEAN countries last year and announced the setting up of a 3 billion Yuan (around $500 million) maritime cooperation fund.
The initiative will deepen Chinese economic and maritime links with both South-East Asia and countries touching Indian Ocean.
