The PRC has rolled out a series of trade and transport facilitation initiatives to speed up trade flow with its neighbors, tackling mismatched border crossing hours, substandard access roads, and limited inspection capacity at key gateways.
Addressing Gaps in Border Crossing Point (BCP) Operating Hours
PRC officially operates under a single time zone—China Standard Time (CST, UTC+8)—despite spanning five geographical time zones. This uniform time policy has often created discrepancies in border crossing point (BCP) operating hours with neighboring countries, leading to delays and inefficiencies.
A survey conducted in 2024 for Khorgos BCP highlighted a critical one-hour gap in operating hours at this busy gateway, which contributed significantly to congestion and trade slowdowns. However, recent updates show that Chinese Customs at Khorgos has implemented 24/7 operations, effectively eliminating queues caused by the previous time zone mismatches and speeding up cross-border trade flow.
Addressing Inadequate Access Road Infrastructure
The surge in cross-border trade has placed significant pressure on the road networks leading to border crossing points (BCPs), underscoring the urgent need for infrastructure upgrades and deeper regional cooperation.
At Khorgos—the largest gateway between PRC and Kazakhstan—the 2024 Khorgos BCP Survey highlights severe bottlenecks: the access road on the Kazakh side has just one lane in each direction, struggling to accommodate rising truck volumes. In response, PRC has completed a dual carriageway, expressway-grade access road to its Khorgos BCP, forming part of the G30 network extending all the way to Lianyungang Port.
A similar situation exists at the Alashankou/Dostyk BCP, where traffic continues to grow. While Kazakhstan’s road to Dostyk remains a single lane each way, PRC has proactively built a modern access road with two lanes in each direction to its Alashankou BCP, significantly boosting capacity and efficiency.
Advancing BCP Border Management
Modernizing border infrastructure and streamlining inspection processes are essential to sustaining trade momentum. PRC is actively enlarging the number of gates at its BCPs and enhancing procedures to improve throughput. For example, at the Takeshikent/Yarant BCP along the CAREC corridor 4a on the PRC–Mongolia border, the Mongolian Yarant BCP has only two inspection gates: one for regular cargo and one for minerals. In contrast, PRC’s Takeshikent BCP now features nine inspection gates—one for green-lane cargo, two for regular cargo, and six dedicated to minerals—minimizing congestion and transit delays.
PRC’s commitment to faster cross-border commerce extends beyond physical upgrades. Efforts are underway to digitize trade and transport documentation, enable customs data sharing, harmonize standards, and pursue joint customs controls. Practical measures—such as waiving additional customs sealing requirements for export shipments at Khorgos—expedite border crossings and ease congestion.
Need for Regional Cooperation to Overcome Border Bottlenecks
While PRC’s initiatives have effectively addressed challenges on its side of the border, bottlenecks at border crossing points (BCPs) will persist until neighboring countries upgrade their infrastructure and processes as well. Resolving cross-border flow issues demands a collaborative approach, with all CAREC member countries working together to implement efficient, coordinated solutions.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has made substantial investments in cross-border infrastructure connecting CAREC countries, facilitating smoother trade and mobility across the region. Through its Regional Cooperation and Integration (RCI) program, ADB is supporting member nations in aligning their efforts to streamline cross-border trade, reduce delays, and remove barriers—helping unlock the full potential of regional economic integration.