Türkiye and China Partner to Revive the Middle Corridor as a Global Logistics Bridge

In a strategic step to revitalize the Middle Corridor—a crucial link in global trade routes—Turkish rail logistics giant Pasifik Eurasia has joined forces with China Railway following a high-level diplomatic meeting in Beijing on May 23.

The deal was cemented during Türkiye’s Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu’s official visit to China. The meeting brought together Pasifik Holding Chairman Fatih Erdoğan and China Railway General Manager Song Xiude, who committed to enhancing rail logistics along this key artery of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Pasifik Eurasia’s Strategic Role in the Middle Corridor

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Fatih Erdoğan emphasized that Pasifik Eurasia, established in 2019, has become a dominant player in Türkiye’s international railway logistics, managing 95% of operations on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) line.

The company had been instrumental in reactivating the BTK route, which had fallen into disuse after its 2017 launch. Erdoğan noted that his company’s core vision has long revolved around the Middle Corridor, recognizing its potential to transform Türkiye into a strategic logistics hub connecting Asia and Europe.

Pasifik Eurasia has already accomplished several pioneering feats, including operating:

• The first block train from China to Türkiye,

• The first export train from Türkiye to China, and

• The first China-Europe block train through the Middle Corridor.

Challenges and a New Chapter of Opportunity

Despite early successes, the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily stalled momentum on these rail links. Meanwhile, China poured heavy investments into its northern Belt and Road rail alternative—the Eurasian Northern Corridor—which connects China to Europe via Russia. That route now sees around 20,000 freight trains annually and 2 million TEU containers moved per year.

By contrast, the Middle Corridor—which bypasses Russia and travels through Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, and Türkiye—currently hosts only around 300 trains a year. Erdoğan views this as a signal of untapped potential.

“The Belt and Road Initiative is China’s project. The Middle Corridor should be Türkiye’s project, because the line can reach Eurasian-scale traffic only through Türkiye,” Erdoğan stated.

A Turning Point for Türkiye’s Global Logistics Vision

Erdoğan described the recent Beijing meeting with China Railway as a turning point in advancing the Middle Corridor. He emphasized that Türkiye’s infrastructure, Central Asian cooperation, and Chinese investment interest could transform the corridor into a vital trade artery.

The initial stages of the Northern Corridor faced similar limitations in capacity, but long-term support and cooperation helped it flourish—something Erdoğan believes the Middle Corridor can emulate.

Medium and long-term development projects were also highlighted, such as:

• The Zengezur Corridor (Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan),

• The Development Road from Türkiye to the Gulf, and

• The proposed third bridge between Türkiye and Europe.

These infrastructural upgrades aim to anchor the Middle Corridor as a sustainable Eurasian trade route, opening access for Chinese exports to Europe, MENA (Middle East and North Africa) markets, and vice versa.

Erdoğan called the route “a corridor of peace,” symbolizing its capacity to unite economies through connectivity.