China presses ahead with Southeast Asia port expansion as US tensions simmer
“Work has already begun on a major expansion of the port in Muara – Brunei’s largest port, which is jointly operated by a state-owned Chinese company – that will see the facility’s capacity more than double to 500,000 20-foot equivalent units (TEU), according to the Brunei Economic Development Board.”
“China’s outbound shipments to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) were up 16.6 per cent year on year last month, while its exports to the United States fell by more than 20 per cent year on year, Chinese customs data showed.”
“The work at Muara includes the construction of a new container terminal capable of accommodating large boxships of up to 50,000 deadweight tonnes, as well as the addition of new berths and upgrades to existing terminals. The site will also have a designated 3.6-hectare (36,000 square metre) free-trade zone.”
“China’s New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor is a trade and logistics network that links landlocked cities in western China with hundreds of global ports via a series of rail, road and shipping connections.”