The Middle Corridor—officially known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR)—is rapidly evolving into one of Eurasia’s most vital arteries for trade, logistics, and geopolitical cooperation. At the heart of this transformation is Azerbaijan, which, alongside its Central Asian partners and with strong support from China, is reconfiguring the map of overland freight transit between East Asia and Europe.

On June 30, 2025, a new multimodal freight route was launched connecting Beijing and Baku. The new "rail-sea-rail" line begins at the International Land Port in Beijing’s Fangshan District, carrying over 100 containers of industrial cargo—including auto parts and machinery—through Kazakhstan, across the Caspian Sea, and into Azerbaijan via the Port of Baku. The entire journey will take just 15 days, offering a faster and more reliable alternative to traditional maritime and northern overland routes.

Geopolitical instability has forced a global rethink of trade logistics. The Russia–Ukraine war has turned the Northern Corridor into a high-risk zone, while Houthi missile attacks in the Red Sea have disrupted shipping via the Suez Canal. In contrast, the Middle Corridor—passing through Kazakhstan,........

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