Xinhua News Agency, Istanbul, June 29 (Reporter Wang Tengfei) President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Türkiye said a few days ago that the synergy between Türkiye’s “Middle Corridor” plan and the high-quality co construction of the “the Belt and Road” is very important, which will help to connect Asia and Europe in a safer and more efficient way.
Erdogan said at the Global Forum on Transport Connectivity in Istanbul that currently, global logistics channels usually take about 35 days to pass through the Suez Canal and about 45 days to pass through the Cape of Good Hope. However, once the investment related to the “middle corridor” is completed, the transportation time is expected to be shortened to less than 15 days.
The “Middle Corridor”, also known as the Trans Caspian Sea International Transport Corridor, starts from China, passes through Kazakhstan and Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan, Georgia, and can extend to Türkiye and European countries. This corridor can significantly shorten the land and sea transportation time between China and Europe.
In 2015, China and Turkey signed a memorandum of understanding on docking the “the Belt and Road” initiative and the “Middle Corridor” plan.
The Global Forum on Transport Connectivity was held in Istanbul from the 27th to the 29th, with attendees discussing topics such as more efficient integration of global transport networks, infrastructure investment, and strengthening multilateral cooperation.