The Yangtze River Transportation-Economic Belt

Abstract

The Yangtze River, at 6300 km long, is the longest river in China and a key transportation corridor in China's booming economy. The implementation of the National Freeway Planning and National Long-term Railway Planning programs will create a comprehensive transportation corridor along the river, consisting of railway, roads, waterway, aviation and pipeline infrastructure. The development of this transportation infrastructure will be the impetus for continued development within the Yangtze River economic region, further fuelling growth in the Chinese economy. This paper applies the concept of the transportation-economic belt; i.e. — that construction of a comprehensive transportation corridor creates the impetus for formation of a belt, or linear region, of high-growth economic activity around the corridor. Using the comparison of one of the world's first comprehensive transportation corridors — the Rhine River — the inherent relationship between industrial development and transportation is examined. Using this historical perspective and the transportation-economic belt concept, the paper suggests mitigation measures that could be adopted to manage growth, and to address the possible negative effects of rapid growth and industrialization.