China tests Central Asian land corridors to bypass maritime chokepoints

AI Summary

China is expanding overland trade routes across Central Asia to bypass vulnerable maritime chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz. A new corridor through Uzbekistan to Afghanistan has launched pilot shipments, though security and capacity issues may limit a shift from sea freight.

Beijing is doubling down on overland trade routes across Central Asia as continued disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider region expose the vulnerability of global shipping chokepoints. A new link to Afghanistan via Uzbekistan offers a practical example of this long-term diversification push. However, observers caution that security concerns and capacity constraints could make a meaningful shift away from sea freight difficult. Officially launched in May with pilot shipments, the...