China's transport authorities have unveiled ambitious plans for the next Five-Year Plan period, centered on an extensive infrastructure project known as the "Golden Outer Ring." This grand corridor, comprising three national highways with a combined length exceeding 26,000 kilometers, is designed to integrate the country's border and coastal areas into a seamless transport network.
What is the 'Golden Outer Ring'?
Deputy Transport Minister Xu Chengguang stated that the priority during the 15th Five-Year Plan period is the construction of four major channel types, with the first being the border, coastal, and river corridor. This involves completing the G219, G331, and G228 national highways. The G219 runs from Kanas in Xinjiang to Dongxing in Guangxi, spanning nearly 10,000 kilometers, making it China's longest national highway. The G331 stretches from Altay in Xinjiang to Dandong in Liaoning, covering about 9,200 kilometers, and is known as the "Most Beautiful Border Highway" for its scenic route through the Northeast Plain, Inner Mongolia grasslands, Greater Khingan Range, and Changbai Mountains. The G228 extends from Dandong in Liaoning to Dongxing in Guangxi, covering about 7,400 kilometers and crossing major river systems like the Yalu, Liao, Hai, Yellow, Huai, Yangtze, and Pearl Rivers. Together, these three highways form a national strategic transport corridor of over 26,000 kilometers.
Why is this corridor being built?
Xu Chengguang explained that by 2030, the completion rate of the main skeleton of the national comprehensive three-dimensional transport network is expected to reach 95%. However, the approach during the 15th Five-Year Plan period will not simply be about expanding scale or launching projects indiscriminately. Instead, the focus will be on optimizing spatial layout, unblocking the main arteries of the economic cycle, and promoting balanced regional development. The "Golden Outer Ring" is designed to be closely aligned with the national border, addressing past weaknesses in border road networks and emergency accessibility. This will facilitate more efficient resource flows and personnel exchanges between border, inland, and coastal areas. Furthermore, the corridor will connect westward to the New Western Land-Sea Corridor and China-Europe Railway Express, and eastward to deep-sea foreign trade routes, linking coastal ports and border ports to strengthen both domestic and international economic circulation.
How will it be built?
The Ministry of Transport has defined three key functions for this corridor: a major tourism route, a resource development path, and a channel for border security and stability. Construction will focus on two main areas. First, improving network connectivity: given the complex geological and road conditions in border and coastal areas, efforts will be tailored to overcome challenges such as permafrost, sandstorms, and ground subsidence to clear bottlenecks. This will ensure smooth material flow and enhance resilience against emergencies. Second, promoting integrated transport and tourism development: the construction process will incorporate ancient towns, villages, and natural landscapes along the route into a unified tourism system. This includes systematically planning scenic spots, travel routes, catering, and accommodation facilities, and strengthening supporting infrastructure to enrich the tourism market supply.
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