China has clarified that the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Corridor will be excluded from the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This decision seems linked to India’s refusal to participate in the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) for the second time due to sovereignty issues. The sticking point being that the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)—a pinnacle project of the BRI—cuts through Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), a territorial region contested by India.
In replacement, South Asia’s relevance in the BRF has been depicted through three significant activities—the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC), the Nepal-China Trans-Himalayan Multidimensional Connectivity Network, and the contentious CPEC.
Understanding the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Corridor
Stretching for 2800 km, the BCIM corridor aims to connect Kunming in China’s Yunnan province with Kolkata in India. This route will transit through prime locations like Mandalay in Myanmar and Dhaka in Bangladesh before reaching its destination of Kolkata.
Sneak Peek into the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC)
The CMEC, a 1700-km stretch, offers another strategic gateway for China to reach the Indian Ocean. The route begins from China’s Yunnan Province, reaches Mandalay in Central Myanmar, goes towards Yangon, and concludes at the Kyaukpyu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) on the Bay of Bengal. This corridor will alleviate Beijing’s dependency on the Malacca Straits—a narrow passage bridging the Indian Ocean to the Pacific—for trade and energy needs.
Connecting Countries: Nepal-China Trans-Himalayan Multi-dimensional Connectivity Network
The Trans-Himalayan connectivity network between Nepal and China commences from Chengdu, which is further connected to Tibet by the Sichuan-Tibet Highway and Railway. China envisions that this railway can eventually connect with the Indian railway network and form a liaison across the Himalayas between China and India.
Digging into CPEC: China Pakistan Economic Corridor
The CPEC is a flagship bilateral project between Pakistan and China, designed to enhance interconnectivity across Pakistan. It comprises a network of highways, railways, and pipelines along with a slew of energy, industrial, and infrastructure development projects. The CPEC connects the Western part of China to Balochistan’s Gwadar Port in Pakistan. The route stretches over 3000 km, starting from Xinjiang and culminating in Balochistan via the Khunjerab Pass in Northern Pakistan.
Table of Facts
| Corridor | Distance | Starting Point | Ending Point |
|---|---|---|---|
| BCIM | 2800 km | Kunming, China | Kolkata, India |
| CMEC | 1700 km | Yunnan Province, China | Kyaukpyu SEZ on the Bay of Bengal, Myanmar |
| Nepal-China Network | Undisclosed | Chengdu, China | Tibet and possibly to Indian railway network |
| CPEC | 3000 km | Xinjiang, China | Gwadar Port, Balochistan, Pakistan |
