Infrastructure Projects as the Basis for Connectivity and China’s New Spatial Framework

Abstract

Russia and China share a similar trend in political and economic thinking as the role of space is undergoing re-evaluation. Once seen as a burden demanding immense resources to manage across vast territories, space is now increasingly regarded as a key strategic asset. This shift stems from a deliberate state approach combining spatial planning, structural investment, and infrastructure development. The purpose of this article is to examine the specific features of China’s spatial development, the role of its infrastructure projects and cross-border interactions, and to assess the potential applicability of Chinese experience to Russia. The study employs a systematic approach, combining chronological, factorial, and structural analysis with comparative-historical methods, as well as the examination of contemporary policy documents on PRC development, recent statistics, and works by Chinese scholars and experts. The research hypothesis is that infrastructure development, cross-border interactions, and institutional conditions play a decisive role in shaping China’s modernisation model of spatial development. This hypothesis is supported by the analysis of infrastructure projects as the foundation of connectivity and the new spatial framework of China in three key areas: 1) the creation of a modern multimodal transportation and logistics system; 2) the development of a comprehensive system of hydraulic structures regulating national water use; and 3) the expansion of digital connectivity infrastructure. These initiatives have delivered substantial multiplier effects, driving economic growth, creating millions of jobs, advancing cutting-edge technologies, and culminating in the construction of the world’s largest high-speed rail network. However, institutional factors and conditions remain the weakest link in the anticipated modernisation of both the Chinese and Russian development models and their spatial components. Chinese analysts emphasise this issue, particularly in relation to the implementation of development strategies for the PRC’s macro-regions, especially the Northeastern macro-region. It is concluded that China’s strategic orientation and practical achievements illustrate a development model that Russia, and especially its key macro-region Siberia, should pursue.