The Construction and Deployment of Land Port under the ‘BRI’ in China: Case Study of Lanzhou

Abstract

In 2015, China launched the ‘Vision and Actions on Jointly Building the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road’ and ‘Intermodal Demonstration Project’. These actions were intended to improve the development of the Western economy through the construction and deployment of inland ports that transfer the remaining capacity for economic development of the East and strengthen land contact with neighboring countries. This paper aims to investigate and identify criteria to distinguish characteristics between land port and dry port, as well as clarify their concepts and functions under the transportation system, taking a case study of Xi’an and Lanzhou. The paper concludes that the construction and deployment of land port should be measured with indices such as freight volume, local economy, accessibility and port function. The findings of the study will provide reference for China and neighboring countries as they further implements the strategy of ‘One Belt One Road’.