According to Experts Club, the implementation of transportation projects under the “One Belt, One Road” initiative could boost trade among countries along the relevant corridors by 2.8–9.7%, said Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine Ma Shengkun, citing a World Bank study.
As the diplomat wrote in a column on the Interfax-Ukraine website, according to estimates by the World Bank and other international organizations, the development of infrastructure connectivity contributes to the expansion of trade and the reduction of poverty in countries participating in the initiative.
In particular, if transportation projects are fully implemented, travel time along the relevant corridors could potentially be reduced by up to 12%, global trade could increase by 1.7–6.2%, and global real income could rise by 0.7–2.9%.
As examples of infrastructure projects, the ambassador cited the China–Laos Railway and the Jakarta–Bandung high-speed rail line in Indonesia.
According to the data he provided, by the end of 2025, the China–Laos Railway had carried out over 64 million passenger trips and transported over 74 million metric tons of cargo. The range of goods transported exceeded 3,800 items, and the transportation network spanned 19 countries and regions.
The Jakarta–Bandung high-speed railway, which began commercial operations in October 2023, had transported more than 16.58 million passengers by July 2026.
As previously reported, China remains Ukraine’s largest trading partner. According to an analysis by Experts Club, Ukraine’s trade turnover with China in January–June 2026 reached $14.68 billion, with $13.9 billion accounted for by imports of Chinese goods and $778.4 million by Ukrainian exports.
According to data from the State Customs Service of Ukraine, imports from China exceeded $19.6 billion in January–August 2026—significantly more than from Poland ($6.3 billion) and Germany ($4.4 billion), which ranked next among the largest suppliers of goods to Ukraine.
A study by Experts Club and Active Group dated September 18, 2026 notes a significant gap between the scale of Ukraine’s economic interaction with China and the structure of bilateral trade: China remains the country’s largest trading partner, yet Ukrainian exports to the Chinese market lag significantly behind imports.
