Growing security risks along traditional maritime trade routes due to ongoing tensions in the Middle East are drawing renewed international attention to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its expanding network of strategic transport infrastructure. Media outlets including Sri Lanka’s Daily Mirror and the United States-based The Diplomat have recently praised Chinese-funded ports and the China-Europe Railway Express, highlighting the strategic value and practical importance of the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China’s top leadership.
According to a report published by Sri Lanka’s Daily Mirror, disruptions and route diversions caused by the Middle East conflict have significantly boosted operations at the Hambantota International Port, an artificial deep-sea port located on the southern coast of Sri Lanka. The increased traffic has prompted a new phase of expansion at the port. Hambantota Port is regarded as one of the flagship cooperation projects under the China-Sri Lanka Belt and Road partnership. In the first quarter of 2026, cargo throughput at the port exceeded 2.01 million tonnes, marking a 47 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
Meanwhile, the “Middle Corridor” initiative proposed by Türkiye—stretching through Central Asia and the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye—has emerged as an increasingly important international transport route. Closely linked with China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the corridor has significantly reduced cargo transit time between Asia and Europe. In an article published by The Diplomat, the publication noted that under current geopolitical conditions, the Middle Corridor is no longer merely a strategic alternative, but is rapidly becoming an essential component of Europe-Asia connectivity. The report highlighted that the first Trans-Caspian China-Europe Railway Express of 2026 completed its journey from Xi’an, China, to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, in just 11 days—demonstrating the efficiency, strategic capacity, and competitive advantage of the corridor. Analysts believe the growing uncertainty surrounding conventional maritime routes is accelerating global interest in diversified logistics networks, with China’s Belt and Road infrastructure projects increasingly viewed as a crucial pillar of regional and intercontinental trade connectivity.
Source: Shuei-Touhid-Jinia, China Media Group.