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Kuala Lumpur: China has said it is willing to study plans to link Malaysia’s $10 billion East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) with other Chinese-backed rail projects in Laos and Thailand, potentially expanding Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative into Southeast Asia.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who is on a three-day visit to Malaysia, said on Wednesday (June 19) that the proposal would make the proposed Pan-Asia railway centre line – from Kunming, China to Singapore – a reality.
“This will better promote the construction of new international land and sea trade corridors, enhance regional connectivity and deepen the construction of the ASEAN Community,” Li Keqiang said.
Li was speaking at a groundbreaking ceremony at the construction site of the East Coast Railway, a 665-km railway that will connect the east and west coasts of Peninsular Malaysia when completed by the end of 2026. The Malaysian government said in March it would consider extending the China-backed railway project to its border with Thailand.
This is the third stop of Li’s visit, which also includes stops in New Zealand and Australia, as China seeks to expand its influence and investment in the Asia-Pacific region amid ongoing competition with the United States.
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