Beijing Builds Roads, Pipelines, Railways and Ports to Bind Itself to Region
By Jeremy Page
The Wall Street Journal - Nov. 9, 2014
HORGOS, China—In a valley flanked by snow-capped peaks on China’s
border with Kazakhstan, a vision of Beijing’s ambitions to redraw the
geopolitical map of Asia is taking shape. This remote outpost, once a
transit point for Silk Road merchants, is where China is building one of
its newest cities.
Covering more than twice the area of New York
City, Horgos had just 85,000 residents when it was founded in
September, enveloping several towns and villages in an area known for
lavender fields.
China’s plan is to transform the sleepy frontier
crossing into an international railway, energy and logistics hub for a
“Silk Road Economic Belt” unveiled by President
Xi Jinping
last year to establish new trade and transport links between China, Central Asia and Europe.
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