Central China to form transport hub for Belt and Road

High-speed railways crisscross near the Zhengzhou East Station in Central China's Henan province. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's central area represented by cities such as Zhengzhou and Hefei will step up the construction of high-speed railway, trunk railway and highway to form a key transportation hub for the Belt and Road Initiative, according to a report by Economic Information Daily.

The central region plans to?improve?the high-speed railway network to connect Zhengzhou and Hefei with more cities in?eastern and?western China.

It will also build freight railway lines that will run from Central China cities to North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region and to the coastal regions in East China's Jiangsu province.

Meanwhile, it will speed up the construction of approved national highways and plan more regional and local highways.

Upon the completion of the transport infrastructure, the central region will be better connected with China's eastern coastal cities and western cities, through which it will be linked with international cities along the Belt and Road Initiative such as Luxemburg and Frankfurt.

The moves will not only boost the region's economic growth but also contribute to the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, said Gao Yuwei, a research fellow with the international financial institute of the Bank of China.

He said the region should build its competitive advantage in transportation, logistics and related industries to establish a unique position in the global value chains.