Erdoğan says Türkiye aims to revive historic "Silk Road" via Middle Corridor Video

Türkiye is seeking to revive the historic “Silk Road” through the Middle Corridor, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on September 1, highlighting the country’s strategic role as a bridge between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

“Being an Asian country in Europe and a European country in Asia, we continue to contribute to ensuring uninterrupted and secure transport and communication links,” Erdoğan told delegates at the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, Caliber.Az reports per the Directorate of Communications.

Президент Реджеп Тайип Эрдоган:

"Будучи азиатской страной в Европе и европейской страной в Азии, в силу нашего геостратегического расположения между Азией, Европой и Ближним Востоком, мы продолжаем вносить свой вклад в обеспечение бесперебойных и безопасных транспортировки и… pic.twitter.com/ejv0x1qG9Z

— Управление коммуникации Турецкой Республики (@kommunikatsiya) September 1, 2025

Erdoğan said Türkiye is coordinating its Middle Corridor initiative with China’s Belt and Road project and plans to link the region through its Development Road Project, running along the North-South-East axis.

The Middle Corridor, also known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), is a multimodal trade route connecting China to Europe via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye. This route offers a shorter and more direct alternative to traditional sea and land corridors, such as the Northern Corridor through Russia.

Recent developments have significantly advanced the Middle Corridor's capacity and efficiency. In August 2025, China Railway Container Transport joined the Middle Corridor Multimodal joint venture, which already includes Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Kazakhstan. This collaboration strengthens the route's viability as an alternative to traditional trade paths.

Additionally, Türkiye secured $660 million in financing from the World Bank to modernise the Divriği-Kars-Georgia border railway, a critical segment of the Middle Corridor.

This project, co-financed by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), aims to enhance the efficiency and capacity of rail transport along this route.

The World Bank projects that by 2030, the Middle Corridor could triple its freight volumes to 11 million tonnes and increase trade between China and the EU by 30%, provided that operational and regulatory challenges are addressed.

By Aghakazim Guliyev