China marks major tunnel milestone for Central Asia railway bypassing Russia

AI Summary

China has achieved a major tunneling milestone for the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, a key Belt and Road Initiative project. The newly drilled 210-meter tunnel in Kyrgyzstan enhances a trade corridor that bypasses Russia, underlining China's regional infrastructure ambitions.

Fresh off Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Kyrgyzstan, project officials have announced the successful drilling of a key tunnel along the long-stalled China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) railway. This marks the first milestone for the flagship project under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, offering China a critical trade corridor bypassing Russia. The 210-metre (690-foot) tunnel was the first drilled through in the Kyrgyz section since full-scale work began in June 2025, China’s state...