China is building a "Golden Ring" two-thirds the length of the equator

By 2030, an almost closed road ring should appear on the map of China, running along the country's land borders and sea coast. As reported by Global Times, the project has been named the "Golden Outer Ring" and its length will be about 27 thousand kilometers.

The ring will be based on three existing national roads: border roads G331 and G219, and coastal road G228. The task is to eliminate gaps in the route.

The northern highway G331 starts in Dandong in northeastern China, near the border with North Korea, and stretches approximately 9,200 kilometers to Altay in Xinjiang. In China, it is called the "most beautiful border road". Its path includes plains, forests, steppes, and mountains.

Further, the route continues with G219. It passes through China's largest desert, the Taklamakan, ascends to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, crosses the Himalayas and the Hengduan mountain region. It is distinguished by the greatest elevation changes and diversity of natural zones.

Another important artery, highway G228, runs along the coastline and connects all major seaports of the country. When all three parts are connected, a route will be formed that covers almost the entire perimeter of the country.

Not just a tourist route

The prospect of driving almost around all of China has already attracted local car tourists and cyclists. Future trips are being discussed on social media. The route will include snow-capped mountains and high-altitude plateaus, steppes, deserts, tropical forests, the sea coast, and historical cities.

However, the "Golden Ring" is expected to do more than just attract tourists. It is also expected to have a more practical effect: developing remote regions, improving their transport accessibility, and increasing the resilience of the country's entire road network.

Another goal of the project is to connect China's domestic trade routes with global markets.

In the west, the new system will gain access to the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor and the China-Europe freight railway routes, and in the east, to international sea routes.

The idea is to integrate seaports, land border crossings, and inland logistics centers. This will make Chinese ports on the borders with Central and Southeast Asian countries part of a more integrated transport network.

The China Road Transport Association also names another advantage of such a system. If a certain route becomes inaccessible due to a natural disaster or other unforeseen circumstances, goods can be rerouted. This should make the transport system more resilient to disruptions.

Wang Limei, head of the association, also draws attention to the strategic importance of land routes. According to her, China's geographical position in Eurasia requires special attention to land transport connections and the ability to have access in various directions.

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