Spatiotemporal pattern of climate change in the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor from 1901 to 2018

The China-Myanmar Economic Corridor(CMEC) is an important part of China's Belt and Road Initiative and an important area for global ecology and biodiversity. In this study, the annual and seasonal spatiotemporal patterns of temperature and precipitation in the CMEC over the past century were investigated using linear tendency estimation, the Mann-Kendall mutation test, the T-test, and wavelet analysis based on the monthly mean climatic data from 1901 to 2018 released by the Climatic Research Unit(CRU) of the University of East Anglia, UK. The results show that the CMEC demonstrated a trend of warming and drying over the past 100 years, and the rate of change in Myanmar was stronger than that in Yunnan Province of China. The warming rate was 0.039 ℃/10a. Precipitation decreased at a rate of -6.1 mm/10a. From the perspective of spatial distribution, temperature was high in the central and southern, low in the north of the CMEC, and the high-temperature centers were mainly distributed in the southern plain and river valley. Precipitation decreased from west to east and from south to north of the CMEC. From the perspective of the rate of change, warming was stronger in central and northern CMEC than in southern and northeastern CMEC. The rate of precipitation decline was stronger in the central and western regions than in the eastern region. This study provides a scientific reference for the CMEC to address climate change and ensure sustainable social and economic development and ecological security.

Assessment of the socioeconomic development levels of six economic corridors in the Belt and Road region

Recent years have witnessed rapid and widespread economic growth in regions involved in China’s Belt and Road Initiative(BRI),mainly due to the construction of six economic corridors.This paper aims to quantify the levels of six economic corridors according to the socioeconomic development levels in the BRI regions.Here,a gridded socioeconomic development index was first created,and a dividing line was drawn to reveal the distribution characteristics of socioeconomic development in the BRI regions.A classification method was then applied to identify local development levels.Finally,we created an economic corridor development index(ECDI)to evaluate the progress of six economic corridors.The results reveal spatial heterogeneity within the socioeconomic groups of BRI regions,which can be roughly divided into offshore(or Part A,50.54%)and inland(or Part B,49.46%)areas.Although both parts comprise roughly the same area,over 95%of the population is located in offshore regions.The China–Mongolia–Russia Economic Corridor has the highest development index due to a stable political environment and long-running cooperation.The China–Pakistan Economic Corridor suffers from the lowest ECDI but with strong development potential.Our methods can provide critical reference and practice for the future evaluation of the level of regional development.The results of this study can offer policymakers some insight into reducing socioeconomic inequality in the BRI regions.

The research on the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar economic corridor： opportunity and challenge

This paper discusses the opportunity and challenge faced by the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar economic corridor. The opportunities include the complementary of economic structure and natural resources pattern, as well as the geographic linkage. The challenges include the funding shortage, the lack of political trust, the divergence on the investment priority, and the vulnerable ethnic situation. Finally, this paper looks into the future and expresses the optimistic view on the economic corridor.

The Significance and Measures of Building the China—Mongolia—Russia Economic Corridor

In September 2014,Chinese leaders introduced the initiative to build the China,Mongolia and Russia Economic Corridor during the SCO summit in Dushanbe.In March 2015,China issued The prospect and action of promoting to build the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road,which officially made building the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor a strategic

The China and Mongolia Cultural Communication Status Quo and Development Trend in the Context of the Construction of the China–Mongolia–Russia Economic Corridor

As a part of the"The Belt and Road"initiative,the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor is a tailored mode of regional cooperation,combined with the construction of the Russia Eurasia Channel and the Mongolia Grassland Road.This paper analyses the Chinese and Mongolian cultural communication status quo and development trend in the Context of the construction of the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor.It then proposes that the two countries make great efforts in following three aspects to create new prosperity for China-Mongolia cultural communication and cooperation:strengthening the folk cultural communication and cooperation by consolidating its folk communication basis,vigorously promoting folk cultural diplomacy and improving the level of folk cultural communications,and consolidating the existing cooperation and creating new cultural communication through this cooperation mechanism.

The Belt and Road Initiative and the Concept of an Economic Corridor along the Southern Silk Road

The Belt and Road Initiative requires the urgent revival of the Southern Silk Road. This means a good understanding of its rich historical connotations and its comprehensive and mutual-beneficial functions. Starting from a very early period, the Southern Silk Road has played an important role in the history of Yunnan and has been characterized by using cowry as money. This paper proposes the development of a new economic corridor along the Southern Silk Road from Xi'an in the north, via Chengdu and Kunming, to South Asia and Southeast Asia thus linking the Silk Road Economic Belt to the 21 st Century Maritime Silk Road. This will bring about a new phase of all-around opening-up linking domestic and overseas markets via land and sea.

Landslide susceptibility analysis of Karakoram highway using analytical hierarchy process and scoops 3D

Landslides are prevalent,regular,and expensive hazards in the Karakoram Highway(KKH)region.The KKH connects Pakistan with China in the present China-Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC)context.This region has not only immense economic importance but also ecological significance.The purpose of the study was to map the landslide-prone areas along KKH using two different techniquesAnalytical Hierarchy Process(AHP)and Scoops 3 D model.The causative parameters for running AHP include the lithology,presence of thrust,land use land cover,precipitation,and Digital Elevation Model(DEM)derived variables(slope,curvature,aspect,and elevation).The AHP derived final landslide susceptibility map was classified into four zones,i.e.,low,moderate,high,and extremely high.Over 80%of the study area falls under the moderate(43%)and high(40%)landslide susceptible zones.To assess the slope stability of the study area,the Scoops 3 D model was used by integrating with the earthquake loading data.The results of the limit equilibrium analysis categorized the area into four groups(low,moderate,high,and extremely high mass)of slope failure.The areas around Main Mantle Thrust(MMT)including Dubair,Jijal,and Kohistan regions,had high volumes of potential slope failures.The results from AHP and Scoops 3 D techniques were validated with the landslides inventory record of the Geological Survey of Pakistan and Google Earth.The results from both the techniques showed similar output that coincides with the known landslides areas.However,Scoops 3 D provides not only susceptible zones but also the range of volume of the potential slope failures.Further,these techniques could be used in other mountainous areas,which could help in the landslide mitigation measures.

China’s Success in Poverty Alleviation:Experience for Pakistan

This study analyzes the experience Pakistan can learn from China’s great success in its poverty alleviation projects over the last four decades.During this period China has pulled millions of people out of poverty with its continuous macroeconomic and political stability along with rural development programs and its opening-up strategy.Recently,China has been serving as an economic role model for many developing countries like Pakistan.The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor initiated under the Belt and Road Initiative has cemented the bilateral relationship between China and Pakistan,thus providing an opportunity for Pakistan to learn from China’s success in socioeconomic transformation.Based on this,Pakistan needs to redirect its policies to the agriculture sector through reforms in landholding and redistribution.It also needs to enhance public investments focusing on improving rural infrastructure,education,and access to basic health services.

Evaluation and prediction of engineering construction suitability in the Chinae-Mongoliae-Russia economic corridor

It is proposed to build a high-speed railway through the China‒Mongolia‒Russia economic corridor(CMREC)which runs from Beijing to Moscow via Mongolia.However,the frozen ground in this corridor has great impacts on the infrastructure stability,especially under the background of climate warming and permafrost degradation.Based on the Bayesian Network Model(BNM),this study evaluates the suitability for engineering construction in the CMREC,by using 21 factors in five aspects of terrain,climate,ecology,soil,and frozen-ground thermal stability.The results showed that the corridor of Mongolia's Gobi and Inner Mongolia in China is suitable for engineering construction,and the corridor in Amur,Russia near the northern part of Northeast China is also suitable due to cold and stable permafrost overlaying by a thin active layer.However,the corridor near Petropavlovsk in Kazakhstan and Omsk in Russia is not suitable for engineering construction because of low freezing index and ecological vulnerability.Furthermore,the sensitivity analysis of influence factors indicates that the thermal stability of frozen ground has the greatest impact on the suitability of engineering construction.These conclusions can provide a reference basis for the future engineering planning,construction and risk assessment.

Altitude-dependent gaseous emissions from freight trucks along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in Pakistan

Recent increases in emissions from freight transport have caused strong concerns about air quality in Pakistan,following the rapid development of projects related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC).This study reported the first measurements of on-road truck emissions in Pakistan and investigated their dependence on altitude along CPEC routes.Emissions from 70 trucks were measured on CPEC highways located in Islamabad(540 m above sea level),Sost(2800 m above sea level),and at the Khunjerab Pass(4693 m above sea level).Calculated emission factors for carbon monoxide,hydrocarbons,and nitrogen oxides from heavy-duty trucks in Islamabad were 12.94±1.46,15.21±1.67,and 10.69±1.34 g km^(-1)(95%confidence level),respectively,for pre-Pak-II trucks,and 12.75±2.80,14.24±3.53,and 10.24±2.34 g km^(-1)(95%confidence level),respectively,for Pak-II trucks,representing 2e20 times higher values than the emission standards in Pakistan and India.An altitude increase of approximately 4000 m,with the associated changes in meteorology and fleet characteristics,induced an average increase of 103.6%,86.3%,124.5%,and 133.6%in the emission factors of carbon monoxide,hydrocarbons,nitrogen oxides,and carbon dioxide,respectively.Moreover,on-road emissions along the CPEC were mainly influenced by truck types.This study will support the budget evaluation of transport emissions from the CPEC trade fleet.

A review of land use/land cover change mapping in the China-Central Asia-West Asia economic corridor countries

Large-scale projects,such as the construction of railways and highways,usually cause an extensive Land Use Land Cover Change(LULCC).The China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor(CCAWAEC),one key large-scale project of the Belt and Road Initiative(BRI),covers a region that is home to more than 1.6 billion people.Although numerous studies have been conducted on strategies and the economic potential of the Economic Corridor,reviewing LULCC mapping studies in this area has not been studied.This study provides a comprehensive review of the recent research progress and discusses the challenges in LULCC monitoring and driving factors identifying in the study area.The review will be helpful for the decision-making of sustainable development and construction in the Economic Corridor.To this end,350 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers,as well as book chapters were analyzed based on 17 attributes,such as main driving factors of LULCC,data collection methods,classification algorithms,and accuracy assessment methods.It was observed that:(1)rapid urbanization,industrialization,population growth,and climate change have been recognized as major causes of LULCC in the study area;(2)LULCC has,directly and indirectly,caused several environmental issues,such as biodiversity loss,air pollution,water pollution,desertification,and land degradation;(3)there is a lack of well-annotated national land use data in the region;(4)there is a lack of reliable training and reference datasets to accurately study the long-term LULCC in most parts of the study area;and(5)several technical issues still require more attention from the scientific community.Finally,several recommendations were proposed to address the identified issues.

Estimation of aerosol optical depth in relation to meteorological parameters over eastern and western routes of China Pakistan economic corridor

This study finds out seasonal and monthly variations in Aerosol Optical Depth(AOD)over eastern and western routes of China Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC)and the relationship between AOD and meteorological parameters(i.e.,temperature,rainfall and wind speed).The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS)and Multi-angle Imaging Spectroradiometer(MISR)data was used from the terra satellite for the period of 2000-2016.This study aims to overtake the conventional view of the purpose of using the satellite datasets.This study takes on to the concept that validated satellite data sets rather should be used for the analysis instead of just validation specifically for our study region.Hence,after comparing MODIS AOD with MISR AOD,only MISR AOD dataset is used for further analysis.The results show a decreasing trend of AOD in summer season,a positive relationship between temperature and AOD during winter and spring seasons whereas a positive relationship between wind speed and AOD in winter and spring seasons over eastern and western routes.Periodic analysis of MODIS AOD and MISR AOD depicts May-Aug as the peak period of aerosol concentration over central Pakistan.The inter-annual analysis shows the aerosol trend remained higher during summer season however rainfall shows the washout effect.Eastern route has higher standard deviation and larger values for aerosol prevalence as compared to western route.The trajectory analysis using the HYSPLIT model suggests the bias of air mass trajectory caused deviation in the aerosol trend in the year 2014.

Explicating the mechanisms of land cover change in the New Eurasian Continental Bridge Economic Corridor region in the 21st century

Land cover change has presented clear spatial differences in the New Eurasian Continental Bridge Economic Corridor(NECBEC)region in the 21 st century.A spatiotemporal dynamic probability model and a driving force analysis model of land cover change were developed to analyze explicitly the dynamics and driving forces of land cover change in the NECBEC region.The results show that the areas of grassland,cropland and built-up land increased by 114.57 million ha,8.41 million ha and 3.96 million ha,and the areas of woodland,other land,and water bodies and wetlands decreased by 74.09 million ha,6.26 million ha,and 46.59 million ha in the NECBEC region between 2001 and 2017,respectively.Woodland and other land were mainly transformed to grassland,and grassland was mainly transformed to woodland and cropland.Built-up land had the largest annual rate of increase and 50%of this originated from cropland.Moreover,since the Belt and Road Initiative(BRI)commenced in 2013,there has been a greater change in the dynamics of land cover change,and the gaps in the socio-economic development level have gradually decreased.The index of socio-economic development was the highest in western Europe,and the lowest in northern Central Asia.The impacts of socio-economic development on cropland and built-up land were greater than those for other land cover types.In general,in the context of rapid socio-economic development,the rate of land cover change in the NECBEC has clearly shown an accelerating trend since 2001,especially after the launch of the BRI in 2013.

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor： Will It Sustain Itself？

This paper attempts to measure and explain the sustainability of China- Pakistan Economic Corridor （CPEC） by employing rational choice theory. Methodologically, the qualitative study relies on primary data in terms of elite interviews and secondary sources such as journals articles. This theory-guided empirical research has identified two sets of challenges, internal and external, that the economic corridor faces. Broadly, the challenges range from economic slow- down, political instability, religious extremism and terrorism that have taken toll of Pakistani economy, society and the state. The paper has provided policy input in terms of urging Pakistani government to reform its educational system and correct political instability along with targeting all types of militant organizations. More- over, the study urges China to engage regional stakeholders in CPEC to realize regional and trans-regional connectivity to achieve economic integration of the market.