3. China-EU Connectivity Enhanced through China-CEEC Cooperation in Infrastructure Construction
Infrastructural cooperation between China and CEECs has not only improved connectivity among the CEECs, but also connectivity between CEECs and other parts of Europe.
China-CEEC Cooperation has made visible progress in infrastructural connectivity. Since 2012, a large number of infrastructural projects in the Balkans have been undertaken by Chinese businesses, such as the Zemun-Borca Bridge and the E763 Highway in Serbia, the Smokovac-Meteševo Highway and a railway renovation project in Montenegro, the Miladinovci-Štip and Kicevo-Ohrid Highways in North Macedonia and the Peljesac Bridge in Croatia. Chinese businesses also invested in joint projects in the energy and communications sectors in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, Albania and Estonia to provide the region with better energy and communications support. Good progress is being made in the energy and transport infrastructural projects undertaken by Chinese businesses in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and North Macedonia. Many of these projects are part of the pan-European corridors. Apart from China-financed projects, other projects are funded by the EU and built by Chinese businesses, such as the Peljesac Bridge. Through projects invested and constructed by Chinese businesses, China capitalizes on its capital and technological strengths in the infrastructural sector to improve connectivity inside and among CEECs and between CEECs and other parts of Europe.
As an important China-CEEC connectivity project, the China-Europe Land-Sea Express Line represents a new trade route connecting the Far East and Europe, on the basis of the Port of Piraeus of Greece and running through North Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.[15] While traditional shipping routes run through the Strait of Malacca, the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean and the Cape of Good Hope across the whole south Atlantic and the western African coast before reaching the heart of Europe, this new route, once completed, will open up a brand new fast track of transportation for trade between China and Europe in both directions, by reducing transportation time by at least seven to eleven days, compared with traditional shipping routes. The development of this Express Line will create a win-win situation by improving logistics of countries along it and speed up movement of people, goods and capital.
As Greece joined China-CEEC Cooperation in April 2019 and its relations with China continues to grow, it will surely make full use of its shipping strengths and ports to be more actively involved, rendering the Express Line better prospects. In 2019, 1,000 trains carrying around 80,000 TEUs of goods were operated along the Express Line. It is planned that up to 100 thousand TEUs of goods will be shipped in 2020. This integrated transportation corridor on land and at sea is bringing China and Europe closer to each other.