Preprint / Version 1

The Geopolitical Ramifications of the China-Europe Railway Express: An Emphasis on the War in Ukraine

##article.authors##

  • Audrey Stankunas Granville High School https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1550-3375
  • Anne-Laure P. Strong, PhD Stanford University, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford, CA, USA and Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.148

Keywords:

Ukraine, International Relations, Infrastructure, Geopolitics, Diplomacy

Abstract

The China-Europe Railway Express (CRE), a network of railroads connecting European and Asian cities, is a critical part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative’s plan to increase both China’s diplomatic and economic influence abroad. This article examines the current status of the CRE in the midst of the geopolitical and diplomatic tensions facing the countries involved with the project. Due to rail travel’s high efficiency, low costs, and low carbon emissions, the CRE is desirable to China as its prominence will bolster intercontinental trade as well as China’s presence in Eurasia. Though the CRE has faced opposition from some European entities as the project will likely heighten China’s position as a competitor and challenger to traditional Western dominance, the advancement of the CRE, and China-Europe relations as a whole, will produce a myriad of cultural, economic, and political benefits to Eurasia. The development of the CRE and, by extension, many Sino-European ties have been derailed by the war in Ukraine as many of the current rail routes travel through Russia to reach Europe. Sanctions imposed on Russian railroads and the risk of seized cargo have limited European customers' trust in rail-based transportation. Through this, the war in Ukraine has illustrated many of the vulnerabilities in the CRE’s network. The future success of the CRE will likely continue to be threatened by rising geopolitical tensions as the network spans dozens of countries. The article concludes that the development of alternative routes to the CRE will be crucial in maintaining the project. 

References

st LD-Writethru: China, Europe cooperation to add stability to turbulent world: FM. (2022, March 7). Xinhua News Agency.

Amoros, R. (2022, July 28). Visualizing the World's Largest Oil Producers (G. Bhutada, Ed.). Visual Capitalist. Retrieved November 30, 2022, from https://www.visualcapitalist.com/visualizing-the-worlds-largest-oil-producers/#:~:text=The%20Largest%20Oil%20Producers%20in,of%20the%20top%2010%20combined.

Brar, A. (2022, July 20). Russia-Ukraine war has brought Putin to the negotiating table. China has new plans for BRI. The Print. https://theprint.in/opinion/eye-on-china/russia-ukraine-war-has-brought-putin-to-the-negotiating-table-china-has-new-plans-for-bri/1046736/

A bridge across continents. (n.d.). DB Cargo. Retrieved July 18, 2022, from https://www.dbcargo.com/rail-de-en/services/international-transport-solutions/brueckenschlag-ueber-die-kontinente

Brinza, A. (2022, March 1). Putin's War Has Killed China's Eurasian Railway Dreams. Foreign Policy. Retrieved August 9, 2022, from https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/03/01/belt-road-initiative-new-eurasian-land-bridge-china-russia-poland

Can link stay on track in the wake of Ukraine invasion? The China-Europe Railway Express, or China Railway Express (CRE), is a key element in President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative. The network has served as a critical pipeline for Chinese exports to Europe, especially during the pandemic. But with Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it is facing the most serious challenge in its history. (2022, March 7). South China Morning Post (Hong Kong).

Center for Preventive Action. (2022, November 8). Conflict in Ukraine. Global Conflict Tracker. Retrieved November 8, 2022, from https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/conflict-ukraine

China: The China-Europe Express Express maintains a steady and progressive development momentum, reaching 160 cities in 22 European countries. (2021, May 29). Mena Report.

Chinese premier highlights infrastructure projects with CEE countries. (2014, December 17). Xinhua News Agency.

Choi, K.-S. (2021). The Current Status and Challenges of China Railway Express (CRE) as a Key Sustainability Policy Component of the Belt and Road Initiative. Sustainability, 13(9), 5017. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13095017

Dasgupta, S. (2022, April 15). War in Ukraine Challenging China's Train Routes to Europe. VOA News. https://www.voanews.com/a/war-in-ukraine-challenging-china-s-train-routes-to-europe/6530632.html

Devonshire, C. (2022, March 7). How Damaging Are Russian Sanctions On China-EU Rail Trade And The Belt & Road Initiative ? Silk Road Briefing. Retrieved July 18, 2022, from https://www.silkroadbriefing.com/news/2022/03/07/how-damaging-are-russian-sanctions-on-china-eu-rail-trade-and-the-belt-road-initiative/

Devonshire, C. (2017, November 28). EU Investment Tender Compliance Regulations Hinder China at Budapest CEEC Gathering. Silk Road Briefing. Retrieved January 6, 2023, from https://www.silkroadbriefing.com/news/2017/11/28/eu-investment-tender-compliance-regulations-hinder-china-budapest-ceec-gathering/

Forough, M. (2022, March 18). What will Russia's invasion of Ukraine mean for China's Belt and Road? The Diplomat. https://thediplomat.com/2022/03/what-will-russias-invasion-of-ukraine-mean-for-chinas-belt-and-road/

Finland: The European Council discussed China and Russia. (2022, October 25). Mena Report, NA. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A724049288/GIC?u=gran98056&sid=bookmark-GIC&xid=1e6e6f84

G7 nations to take tougher line on trade with China. (2022, September 15). AP News. https://apnews.com/article/china-beijing-germany-149f78ef627a230aeee23718af0e6232

Guidelines for Measuring and Managing CO2 Emission from Freight Transport Operations. (n.d.). https://www.ecta.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/ECTA-CEFIC-GUIDELINE-FOR-MEASURING-AND-MANAGING-CO2-ISSUE-1.pdf

Keeping pipelines off Ukok [Map]. (2011). The Altai Project. http://altaiproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/s640x480-1.jpeg

Knowler, G. (2022, April 6). The Journal of Commerce Online [Falling China-Europe rail volumes may take years to recover: rail executives]. Retrieved November 9, 2022, from https://www.joc.com/rail-intermodal/international-rail/falling-china-europe-rail-volumes-may-take-years-recover-rail-executives_20220406.html

Latschan, T. (2022, June 5). Ukraine: Will the railroad be what decides the war? DW. Retrieved August 9, 2022, from https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-will-the-railroad-be-what-decides-the-war/a-61714831

Mansa, J. (Ed.). (2022, July 3). The World's Top Oil Producers. Investopedia. Retrieved November 10, 2022, from https://www.investopedia.com/investing/worlds-top-oil-producers/

McCausland, P., & Smith, P. (2022, April 28). Ukraine is relying on its secret weapon in the war against Russia: Trains. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/ukraine-war-russia-trains-rail-network-strikes-military-supply-rcna26023

432 Million TEU Containers Having Been Transported by China-Europe Railway Express. (2022, September 26). China Justice Observer. Retrieved January 6, 2023, from https://www.chinajusticeobserver.com/a/4432-million-teu-containers-having-been-transported-by-china-europe-railway-express

Ong, E. (2022, April 5). Russia-Ukraine war impacting China-Europe rail transportation and trade. Think China. Retrieved November 10, 2022, from https://www.thinkchina.sg/russia-ukraine-war-impacting-china-europe-rail-transportation-and-trade

Rail freight transport between China and Europe. (n.d.). DSV. Retrieved July 18, 2022, from https://www.dsv.com/en-us/insights/expert-opinions/rail-freight-between-europe-and-china

Railway Express to bolster economic development in Europe, foster stronger China-EU ties: expert. (2021, August 24). Xinhua News Agency.

RFE/RL. (2022, June 26). G7 Announces Infrastructure Program To Counter China's Belt And Road Initiative. Radio Free Europe Radio Library. Retrieved August 9, 2022, from https://www.rferl.org/a/g7-global-infrastructure-investment-plan-bri-china/31915926.html

Siqui, J. (2022, March 6). What is the China-Europe Railway Express, and how much pressure is it under from the Ukraine crisis? South China Morning Post. Retrieved July 18, 2022, from https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3169239/what-china-europe-railway-express-and-how-much-pressure-it

Standish, R. (n.d.). China's Belt and Road focuses on new Eurasian trade routes due to Ukraine war. Radio Free Europe Radio Library. https://www.rferl.org/a/china-ukraine-war-eurasian-trade-routes-russia-standish/31948987.html

Tabeta, S. (2022, March 28). China opens wallet to keep trans-Eurasian express moving. Nikkei Asia. Retrieved July 18, 2022, from https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Supply-Chain/China-opens-wallet-to-keep-trans-Eurasian-express-moving

Turkey welcomes Trans-Caspian China Express Train. (2019, November 6). Anadolu Agency.

Ukraine: Complex - Map of Railways in Ukraine. (2022, March 5). reliefweb. https://reliefweb.int/map/ukraine/ukraine-complex-map-railways-ukraine-5-mar-2022

Ukraine in maps: Tracking the war with Russia. (2022, November 14). Retrieved December 1, 2022, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60506682

War in Ukraine and rail freight. (n.d.). Ship Hub. Retrieved August 9, 2022, from https://www.shiphub.co/war-in-ukraine-and-rail-feright/

War in Ukraine Challenging China's Train Routes to Europe. (2022, April 15). VOA news. Retrieved July 16, 2022, from https://www.voanews.com/a/war-in-ukraine-challenging-china-s-train-routes-to-europe/6530632.html

Zhang, G. (2019, September 5). The Iron Belt: China Railway Express. Upply. https://market-insights.upply.com/en/the-iron-belt-china-railway-express

Downloads

Posted

2023-02-26

Categories