Valdai Club

Today, transport corridors are widely viewed as geopolitical tools. Those who believe this to be the case tend to argue that states, either independently or in groups, develop their logistics infrastructure and create transport corridors to serve their interests while potentially threatening other countries.

The assertion that transport corridors can be used as geopolitical instruments is a common one in contemporary socio-political discourse. We encounter it most frequently in the context of China’s drive for dominance, particularly in the Belt and Road strategy, and in connection with Russia’s control over Eurasian land transit. This may seem like an obvious statement, but it’s not, writes Marina Beloglazova. This material was prepared specifically for the 16th Asian Conference of the Valdai Discussion Club.