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![The One Belt, One Road initiative runs through Iran as well [Xinhua]](http://thebricspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/251478265_8-e1453666267195.jpg)
The One Belt, One Road initiative runs through Iran as well [Xinhua]
The train’s trek will cover some 11,800 kilometers as it crosses through a number of countries, such as Kazakhstan into Russia, Poland, and Germany before crossing the underwater English Channel rail in France.
China’s One Belt, One Road initiative aims to create a modern Silk Road Economic Belt and a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road to boost trade and extend its global influence.
The ancient Silk Road connected China and Europe from around 100 B.C.
The 6,000-km road linked ancient Chinese, Indian, Babylonian, Arabic, Greek and Roman civilizations.
A map unveiled by state agency Xinhua shows the Chinese plans for the Silk Road run through Central China to the northern Xinjiang from where it travels through Central Asia entering Kazakhstan and onto Iraq, Iran, Syria and then Istanbul in Turkey from where it runs across Europe cutting across Germany, Netherlands and Italy.
The maritime Silk Road begins in China’s Fujian and ends at Venice, Italy.
The network would include building railways, highways, oil and gas pipelines, power grids, Internet networks, maritime and other infrastructure links.
In 2014, China announced a $40 billion Silk Road Fund to strengthen connectivity in the Asia-Pacific region.
The BRICS Post with inputs from Agencies
