View All Analysis | July 31, 2019, 9:49 a.m.

Browse our analysis section for news and articles on topics such as China's Belt and Road Initiative (OBOR), the Competing Visions of Japan, India, and other regional powers, and the stakes for U.S. policy.

Thailand Plans $7.3B Rail | July 10, 2019, 11:13 a.m.

A company in Thailand has formed a consortium with China Railway Construction to build a $7.3 billion high-speed railway, Nikkei reports.

Thailand Pushes China-Funded Rail | May 2, 2019, 9:09 a.m.

Thailand's prime minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Laos and China to accelerate the construction of a much delayed high-speed rail line between northeast Thailand and Vientiane in Laos, reports Nikkei.

Malaysia to Cancel $20B China-Backed Rail | Jan. 28, 2019, 9:02 a.m.

Malaysia will cancel its $20B East Coast Rail Link project with contractor China Communications Construction Co Ltd due to the high cost, but stated that they will continue to welcome investment from China on a case by case basis.

Influence and Infrastructure | Jan. 22, 2019, 9:43 a.m.

With an eye toward illuminating current issues, this report draws from examples throughout history of how states use foreign infrastructure to advance strategic objectives. It shows how China is updating and exercising tactics used by Western powers during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and how these issues, and the strategic implications they carry, are likely to intensify in the coming years.

China Plans Record $125B Rail Investments | Jan. 21, 2019, 5 a.m.

Chinese investment in railways is expected to rise by about 6 percent year-over-year to $125 billion in 2019, part of a stimulus plan to shore up China’s lagging economy. China Railway, which manages the country’s rail-sector, expects to build 6,800km in new rail tracks this year, a 45 percent increase in construction over 2018.

Vietnam Revives Costly Rail Project | Jan. 16, 2019, 3:29 a.m.

Vietnam's government has re-introduced a previously rejected plan for a high-speed railway that would connect the country's north and south. Under the current proposal, the government would cover 80% of the project's cost, fueling concern that funding the railway would be irresponsible.

China To Build 3,000 km Pan-Asian Railway Network | Jan. 9, 2019, 8:56 a.m.

Beijing is currently working on construction of a high-speed rail line in northern Thailand. Under its planned 3,000-km pan-Asian railway network, Chinese rail lines will extend even further south, stretching through Malaysia and feeding into Singapore, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

Japan Unveils Faster Bullet Train | Dec. 13, 2018, 9:13 a.m.

East Japan Railway unveiled a cutting-edge shinkansen bullet train that is expected to slash the travel time between Tokyo and Sapporo by nearly 40 percent when the route goes into service in 2030.

Thailand To Develop HSR Network | Dec. 7, 2018, 8:27 a.m.

Thailand will spend more than $25 billion to build a high-speed rail network in a bid to transform the country into a regional rail hub. The Bang Sue Grand Station in Bangkok, when completed in 2020, is expected be Southeast Asia's biggest station with a capacity of serving 400,000 passengers daily.

Indonesia: Elections Could Spur China Rail Review | Nov. 16, 2018, 9:25 a.m.

Indonesia's vice presidential candidate Sandiaga Uno said on Tuesday that the government will review the Chinese-led construction of a high-speed rail line connecting Jakarta and the city of Bandung, if the opposition wins Indonesia's presidential election next year.

China Railway Joins Bid for Thai HSR | Nov. 13, 2018, 9:49 a.m.

China Railway Construction will join a consortium led by Charoen Pokphand Group (CP Group) to bid for the construction of Thailand's $7 billion high-speed railway project that will link three major airports.

China To Develop Supersonic Trains | Nov. 7, 2018, 9:39 a.m.

Chinese automaker Zhejiang Geely Holding Group signed an agreement with China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp (CASIC) to jointly develop "supersonic" trains in the country with a maximum speed of 620 mph.

$14B Projects Approved in Thailand | Oct. 31, 2018, 10:04 a.m.

The Thai government has approved four infrastructure megaprojects, worth a combined $14 billion, in an effort to rev up new investment in the country's Eastern Economic Corridor.

Hong Kong HSR Falls Short | Oct. 16, 2018, 10:11 a.m.

A recently opened express railway between Hong Kong and mainland China has drastically cut travel times, but has experienced less demand in commuters and tourists as initially anticipated, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

India To Partially Open HSR in 2022 | Oct. 15, 2018, 9:14 a.m.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi aims to launch India's first high-speed railway by August 2022. Faced with challenges in domestic procurement and land acquisition, project leaders are considering a partial opening to coincide with the 75th anniversary of India's independence.

Experts React | Sept. 25, 2018, 9:45 a.m.

Five years after the announcement of China's Belt and Road, the ambitious drive to build new infrastructure across Eurasia has produced a mixed track record on key issues such as its energy footprint, debt sustainability, and environmental impact.

Thailand To Build $7B HSR | Sept. 19, 2018, 10:08 a.m.

In preparations to double airport capacity, Thailand plans to build a 220-km high-speed railway connecting three major airports by 2023.

Thailand's PTT Pursues $7B Rail Project | Sept. 11, 2018, 10:06 a.m.

Thai oil and gas group PTT is in discussions with potential partners to develop an estimated $7 billion high-speed train project as part of the country's Eastern Economic Corridor.

Malaysia Halts China-Backed Projects | Aug. 21, 2018, 9:24 a.m.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir claims that Chinese leaders have accepted his government's request to stop three China-backed infrastructure projects due to debt concerns.

Mahathir To Renegotiate Chinese Infrastructure Deals | Aug. 16, 2018, 9:25 a.m.

Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad is heading to China to renegotiate billion-dollar infrastructure projects signed by his predecessor, in an effort to reduce the nation's financial dependence on China.

BRI Funding Exceeds U.S. Indo-Pacific Push | Aug. 1, 2018, 10:17 a.m.

The U.S.'s recently announced plan to invest $113 million in infrastructure throughout the Indo-Pacific region will have a limited impact and pales in comparison to China's multi-billion dollar Belt and Road Initiative, according to Dr. James Crabtree of the National University of Singapore.

EU Wary of China’s Infrastructure in Eastern Europe | July 30, 2018, 9:41 a.m.

The EU became wary of China's infrastructure investment in Central and Eastern European countries. Hungary was forced by the EU to conduct a public tender for the Hungarian segment of the Belgrade-Budapest High-Speed Railway, which would delay the project completion until 2023.

Hyperloop Comes to China | July 23, 2018, 9:12 a.m.

California-based Hyperloop Transportation Technologies will help build a 10-km hyperloop in Guizhou Province, which has been targeted for heavy transportation investment due to its strategic location on the land route of China's Belt and Road Initiative.

Thailand to Build $7B HSR | July 10, 2018, 9:12 a.m.

Thirty-one companies from Thailand and abroad have expressed interest in bidding for the right to build the country's first high-speed railway, valued at $7.07 billion. The 220km route will link three major airports and will be the first large infrastructure project to be built in the Eastern Economic Corridor.

$13.8B East Coast Rail Stays Funded | June 4, 2018, 9:35 a.m.

Despite the recent cancellation of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail line, the Chinese-funded East Coast Rail Link connecting Malaysia's biggest port to the Thailand border will maintain its funding amid government cutbacks, according to Malaysia’s Finance Minister.

Malaysia Rethinks Costly Infrastructure Projects | June 1, 2018, 10:28 a.m.

Malaysia's decision to cancel the high-speed rail from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore suggests that Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's new government may reevaluate other costly Chinese-led projects to cut the country's debt, Nikkei reports.

Malaysia Cancels Kuala Lumpur-Singapore HSR | May 30, 2018, 9:46 a.m.

Malaysia has canceled plans for a $14.8 billion high-speed rail project that would have connected Kuala Lumpur with Singapore.

Malaysia Terminates Kuala Lumpur-Singapore Rail | May 29, 2018, 10:34 a.m.

Prime Minister Mahathir cancelled a proposed high-speed railway project that would have connected Kuala Lumpur with Singapore on Monday, citing the overall cost of the project as a primary concern. Mahathir's predecessor signed a legally-binding deal with his counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, in December 2016 as a symbol of closer bilateral cooperation which will now require negotiating a $125 million penalty for pulling out.

Malaysian PM Touts Infrastructure Gains | April 27, 2018, 10:30 a.m.

Malaysia’s prime minister Najib has vowed to continue a track record of infrastructure developments, which includes the the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail, ahead of upcoming elections.

Bid-Rigging Arrests for Japan Maglev Project | March 5, 2018, 9:49 a.m.

Japan's big four contractors are accused of bid-rigging for a planned magnetic levitation train line in an apparent effort to protect earnings amid pressure to cut costs.

Europe Heavyweights Bid for KL-Singapore HSR | Feb. 13, 2018, 10:29 a.m.

A consortium of European companies including the German Engineering company Siemens, France's Alstom, Austria's PORR, and Italian State Railways will team up with a Malaysian engineering company to bid for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail line. The consortium is expected to face rival bidders from both China and Japan.

Thailand Slows High-Speed Rail Aspirations | Jan. 18, 2018, 10:48 a.m.

The Prime Minister of Thailand has instructed transport officials to reduce the maximum speed of the 670-kilometer Thai-Japanese high-speed rail.

Malaysia, Singapore Sign Rail Transport Pact | Jan. 17, 2018, 10:58 a.m.

Malaysia and Singapore signed a bilateral agreement to build and run a Rapid Transit System Link on Tuesday, advancing an initiative to boost connectivity between the two Southeast Asian nations.

China's High-speed Rail Hits Snags in SE Asia | Dec. 21, 2017, 9:39 a.m.

Chinese led high-speed rail projects across Southeast Asia, a core part of the Belt and Road Initiative, are lagging due to cost issues and trouble procuring land.

Bidding Opens for KL-Singapore HSR | Dec. 20, 2017, 9:50 a.m.

Bidding for the high-speed railway project connecting Singapore and Kuala Lumpur kicked off on Wednesday, in what is shaping up to be an intense battle between Chinese and Japanese contractors.

Belt & Road is Back on the Rails in Eastern Europe | Dec. 12, 2017, 10:28 a.m.

Broad generalizations about “Belt and Road projects,” whether positive or negative, are not particularly helpful and could even be dangerous when formulating policy. A more successful approach is likely to involve nuanced and localized policies in the same way that China has adopted localized approaches to infrastructure investment under the BRI umbrella.

China’s Balkan Silk Road | Nov. 20, 2017, 10:08 a.m.

The magnitude of the Balkan Silk Road project poses a mixture of opportunities and policy challenges for countries engaging in or seeking to benefit from its implementation.

High-speed rail project linking Kuala Lumpur and Singapore on track | Oct. 17, 2017, 8:51 a.m.

The land acquisition process has started for the 350-kilometer-long high-speed rail linking Kuala Lumpur with Singapore, paving the way for the bidding process to begin by the end of the year. The infrastructure project is expected to attract international bidders for the first cross-border high-speed rail line in Southeast Asia.

Asia’s Competing Visions | Sept. 27, 2017, 12:21 p.m.

Earlier this month, the leaders of Japan and India paused to lay the foundation stone for a high-speed railway. The new link illustrates the high-stakes competition underway to connect the Eurasian supercontinent. China has stolen the spotlight, but other regional powers are not standing still.

Chinese High-Speed Rail in Southeast Asia | Sept. 18, 2017, 9:14 a.m.

"I really like China" a diplomat told us a few months ago, "they are the only ones around with a plan for the 21st century." That plan – China’s Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) – has, however, raised ample concern, from Asia all the way to the Berlin and Washington.

Abe Arrives in India | Sept. 13, 2017, 8:53 a.m.

$50.4B Japanese Maglev Project Faces Obstacles | Aug. 24, 2017, 9:15 a.m.

Central Japan Railway's ability to complete the magnetic-levitation (maglev) railway project faces obstacles ranging from cutting a pathway deep under a daunting mountain range to acquiring land to build stations along the route.

Mitsubishi Heavy Drops $82B train project | Aug. 11, 2017, 9:20 a.m.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, one of Japan's leading engineering companies, will withdraw from a 9 trillion-yen ($82 billion) prestigious high-speed railway project of magnetic-levitation (maglev) train cars, a futuristic technology allowing trains to move without contacting the ground.

Jakarta High-Speed Rail Faces More Delays | Aug. 8, 2017, 8:39 a.m.

Long delays in procuring the necessary land to build Indonesia's Chinese-funded Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail have created doubts about the project's future.

$67B Thai Infrastructure Plan Needs Momentum | July 26, 2017, 8:45 a.m.

Thailand's ambitious $67 billion infrastructure plan could help boost economic growth, but to do so it must first move from the planning stages to implementation.

China: Thai High-Speed Rail Needs Quick Completion | July 25, 2017, 9:05 a.m.

China's foreign minister, Wang Yi, met with Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha of Thailand yesterday to discuss the construction of a high-speed rail between southern China and Thailand's east coast, stressing the need for the project to be completed quickly.

China’s High-Speed Dream Hits the Buffers | July 17, 2017, 12:42 p.m.

China’s high-speed rail ambitions are running off the tracks, the Financial Times reports in a special investigation that draws from Reconnecting Asia’s database.

Local Companies Eye Singapore HSR Contract | July 6, 2017, 8:40 a.m.

Six local companies in Singapore have formed a consortium in hopes of besting competitors from Japan, China, and Europe to construct the 350km Singapore-Kuala Lumpur high-speed rail link.

Work Begins on China-Laos Rail | June 26, 2017, 8:42 a.m.

Work has commenced on the 414-kilometer long China-Laos high-speed railway near Phonesai village.