China's New Silk Road - freight train to London travels 12,000 km in 18 days

[hashmander]

Once the One Belt, One Road is completed it does not have the capacity to move even half of China's current trade, but it will ensure that China can never be blockaded like Japan in 1941. Once it's built you have guaranteed Chinese victory in any war near China.

From the Chinese perspective, the South China Sea is about confronting the US and seducing away its vassals with a carrot and stick approach.

train tracks are even easier to sabotage, especially over such long distances.

 

[FAH1223]

train tracks are even easier to sabotage, especially over such long distances.

Here's the thing though, the US doesn't have much of a foothold in Central Asia. And this long term strategy brings countries to China's sphere of influence. Iran is at the heart of it. You have countries like Germany who are open about participating in it. It's a huge deal.

The point is bringing countries to your side by offering trade, investment, and cooperation rather than war. One Belt, One Road is just one part of the Chinese strategy.

They have been the largest investor in the world in renewal energy and 3rd and 4th generation nuclear power. The Chinese have funded practically all the designs of 3rd and 4th generation nuclear plants to minimize risk and they are going on a building spree the likes the world has never seen before.

Another key technology is Coal liquefaction and gasification, basically getting oil and gas from coal. This technology is 100 years old and has been perfected by the Germans and South Africans. China has bought all the designs and is implementing them as we speak. Within a timeframe of 10-15 years, China will not require that much oil in the first place, and its smog and pollution cities are projected to be cleaner than Europe.

There is a race between China and the US. For the US its to delay the One Belt, One Road project by the usual means; chaos, war with Iran, and coups in central Asia, terrorism and economic sabotage.

While the US disentangles itself from the Chinese economy.

US and China are the largest trading nations and have become so intertwined economically that any conflict between them will bring down both economies and the world.

So naturally you need time to plan and executive things.

China needs to secure its energy, natural resources and trade by moving it from a maritime route i.e the Straights of Malacca which is US controlled into Central Asia where its safe from US interference. The US is only in Afghanistan and won't leave due to this fact on the ground.

The Chinese need to do this before they complete the re-orientation of their economy from exports into internal consumption. The disentanglement I mentioned before has been started by China already, but there have been delays due to corruption inside the Communist party by oligarchs that benefit from the export trade.

This was all laid down by Deng Xiao Ping back in 1979, the schedule was supposed to be before 2010.

To sum it up: all that is happening have been written about since the early 90's by Russian nationalists and by the Chinese in 1980's and 90's.

Its coming to fruition recently because Russia is lead by nationalists not western backed politicians who basically lost their power in 2014 which was a process that started in 1999.

 

[Jimi Swagger]

China probably wants to get the bulk of Trade off the Ocean since certain powers have a monopoly over the sea due to their overwhelming naval might..

they probably have plans to link it to Africa where Chinese companies are helping Africans improve their road and rail networks.

You are correct. This link contains an interactive full map that includes sea routes from Venice, through Greece, to Suez Canal, to South Africa, and India Australia and China.

China Belt and Road: This Map Shows China's Growing Trade Empire | Fortune.com

 

[Poh SIti Dawn]

My friend may end up using this to send timber to China. He said the logistics are ridiculously difficult

More info please, what does he do

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

everyone cheering this doesn't speak Chinese.

I never understand the anti-western sentiment on here.

 

[NkrumahWasRight Is Wrong]

More info please, what does he do

There's a specific type of tree in his country and in Russia that gets infected with a type of beetle that spreads to other trees but doesn't really affect the quality of wood that the purchaser is looking for. The trees need to be taken down anyway. He sections off large quantities of those trees, cuts them and logs them and loads it into cargo to send it there. He makes decent money per squared meter

 

[Poh SIti Dawn]

There's a specific type of tree in his country and in Russia that gets infected with a type of beetle that spreads to other trees but doesn't really affect the quality of wood that the purchaser is looking for. The trees need to be taken down anyway. He sections off large quantities of those trees, cuts them and logs them and loads it into cargo to send it there. He makes decent money per squared meter

So in the right area it's a steal if you want wood to build houses?

 

[NkrumahWasRight Is Wrong]

So in the right area it's a steal if you want wood to build houses?

And other products too. He's not entirely sure what the trees will be used for but he has a contract for like 400 sqm a month in his country and is on the verge of 40000 sqm a month from russia. I might be getting a cut of it. Dunno yet