China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are working on their landmark rail connection: the CKU railway. Russia has signalled its willingness to offer support for the railway, but also indicates that Moscow may not be all too happy with external influences in the broad-gauge rail space.
The Russian deputy transport minister Dmitriy Zverev was on a visit to the Kyrgyz capital city Bishkek when he offered Moscow’s support for CKU: “Russia is ready to help here with technologies, preparation of national staff and, certainly, supply of rolling stock”, he is cited as saying by TASS.
Zverev added that any infrastructure developed in Central Asia or Eurasia stimulates trade. “The development of infrastructure, undoubtedly, is only beneficial”, the deputy minister commented.
A Chinese violation of Russian standards?
Behind the assistance offer, some suspicion may be hiding. Russia does not seem all too happy with the Chinese rail influence in the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). “Again, we should not forget that Kyrgyzstan is an EAEU member and is connected to railway standards and technical requirements, which were accepted”, Zverev told Kyrgyz attendees.
A part of the CKU railway will be built on the standard 1,435-millimetre gauge, which is standard in China. The post-Soviet space uses the broad 1,520-millimetre gauge. Kyrgyzstan will build a terminal to handle gauge changes in Makmal, in the centre of the country.