Iran and China: Recreating Silk Road in 21st century with new land corridors

Pars Today – Amid rapid global transformations, cooperation between Iran and China has deepened further following recent geopolitical developments. Using new land routes (via Pakistan and Afghanistan), the two countries are working to strengthen their economic and trade relations while pursuing shared objectives in West Asia.

According to Pars Today, citing Fars News Agency, global shifts and geopolitical events have brought Iran and China closer, fostering a better understanding of their cooperation. These two nations, with their rich histories and civilizations, have already experienced a true example of such collaboration through the 2,000-year-old Silk Road—and now seek to redefine it for the coming century. 

In recent years, Iran and China have bolstered their economic ties across various sectors, including energy, infrastructure, trade, technology, and joint investments. 

Changes in international policies and geopolitical developments—particularly after the Trump tariff shocks, Western unilateralism, and the 12-day war between Iran and the Zionist regime—have paved the way for expanding this partnership. 

Given the necessity of establishing mutually beneficial cooperation based on shared interests and values, there is significant potential for redefining Iran-China relations. 

China's connection to West Asia through eastern Iran (Pakistan and Afghanistan), and its impact on economic and transit relations between Iran and China, could serve as one of the most pivotal axes of cooperation between the two countries to strengthen relations and facilitate trade exchanges.

As the world’s second-largest economy, China seeks to expand its economic and political influence in West Asia while deepening economic relations with regional countries. In this context, two primary routes have been identified for China’s connectivity to West Asia through Iran: 

First, connecting to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and second, utilizing the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a $60 billion investment project under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is a key strategic endeavor. Starting from Pakistan’s Gwadar and Karachi ports, this corridor links to western China and can serve as a bridge for China’s access to West Asia. 

Transport and transit experts suggest that Iran’s Chabahar Port is not a natural rival to Pakistan’s Gwadar Port but rather an effective complement—an attractive option for Beijing. Connecting Chabahar’s road and rail networks to CPEC would not only reduce transportation time and costs but also enhance the security of China’s supply chain amid geopolitical crises. 

On the other hand, the Wakhan Road in Afghanistan has emerged as another strategic route linking China to West Asia. Due to its unique geographical position, this road provides China access to Central Asian and West Asian markets and has recently garnered increased attention. 

The decision by the governments of Iran and China to cooperate through their neighboring country, Afghanistan, underscores the strategic importance and serious resolve behind this initiative. 

These two land routes not only decrease reliance on the Malacca Strait—which is under U.S. influence—but also enable China to access West Asian and even European markets through Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. 

Given that nearly 90% of China’s maritime trade passes through the Malacca Strait, this overland connectivity could serve as a key strategy to mitigate risks from international tensions and enhance China’s economic security. 

Also, related projects—such as the Khaf-Herat Railway, the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, energy supply for Chinese power plants in Gwadar and Karachi ports, a nuclear power plant in Chabahar, and the exploitation of Afghanistan’s rich mineral resources—could further improve China’s political, economic, and security relations with Iran via Pakistan and Afghanistan. 

In today’s competitive world, both nations can strategically seize this historic opportunity for mutual benefit, recreating a regional order based on win-win collaboration—much like the Silk Road did 2,000 years ago.

MG/ME