Has China just Created the New Silk Road?

Has China just Created the New Silk Road?

It’s entirely possible. Seemingly invisible in international news feeds, China has quietly started sending trains from Yiwu in the south of China to Spain – a distance of over 13,000km. This will be the longest freight train route in the world, 40% longer than the infamous Trans-Siberian Railway.

Crossing numerous borders along the way – Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, France and then into Spain. In November 2014, the first train has already completed the westbound journey carrying some 1000 tons of goods.

“Made in China” seems to be on everything these days, and Yiwu is one the major hubs where these products get distributed from – possibly the biggest wholesale center for small-sized consumer goods in the world.

China’s economy is not slowing down, and this rapid expansion of transportation links is just the start. What currently takes 21 days by traditional rail, is hopefully going to take just 2 days when a ‘bullet train’ corridor is complete. China to Europe in 2 days by train. That could truly change the way the world does business.