Russia, China and Kazakhstan want to build a new transport hub near Moscow and develop a direct transport link between Chinese city Xi’an and Moscow. Russian firm Slavtrans, the Chinese company Xi’an Free Trade Port Construction and Operation and Kazakh Railways have signed a memorandum of understanding that envisions these ideas.
In order to further promote and deepen economic and trade cooperation between Russia, China and Kazakhstan, the signatory parties stated that they are considering a joint investment in a new transport hub. They envision a hub in Selyatino, in Russia’s Moscow province. The hub would also include a warehouse.
Alongside the Selyatino hub, the parties agreed to develop linear transportation between the Chinese city of Xi’an and Selyatino through Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is a major transit country for Chinese rail freight heading west and has seen freight volumes grow in recent times.
Seeking connections to China
Russia seeks to improve its infrastructure connections to China as Western sanctions have forced it to reorient its exports eastward. At the same time, the EU has also taken an interest in improving rail infrastructure for land-based transport between Europe and China. It has allocated 10 billion euros to improve connectivity in transit countries of Central Asia.
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