Comparative Study of the Ruili and Mengding Qingshui Rivers in the China-Myanmar Indian Ocean Corridor Based on SWOT

Abstract

The construction of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) out of Ruili and the China-Myanmar Indian Ocean New Corridor (CMIONC) out of Qingshuihe in Mengding has attracted much attention. The great contrast between the construction and development of the CMEC and the CMIONC has raised widespread concern in the academic community. Therefore, we developed a theory and framework of international corridor analysis based on the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats), and conducted a comparative analysis of SWOT elements and key influencing factors between the CMEC and CMIONC (Ruili-Lashu and Mengding-Qingshuihe-Lashu) to reveal the differences between them and the key influencing factors of the CMIONC. We evaluated the comparative advantages of the CMEC and CMIONC and the geographic logic of focusing on various choices at different times. The study produced several important results: (1) There are significant differences in the key factors influencing the construction of the China-Myanmar Indian Ocean Corridor in different spatial and temporal sequences. The key influencing factors in the historical domain have obvious geographic determinism, and the natural geographic environment and features represented by topography, elevation, rivers, geology, among others., profoundly influenced the construction of the China-Myanmar corridor in the early period. The key influencing factors in the actual domain are mostly the degree of human initiative and the degree of scientific and technological progress contributing to the construction of the corridor and the extent to which the corridor will be constructed. Whether the progress of science and technology can contribute to the "space-time compression" of the corridor construction is to be determined. Whether the subjective initiative and progress of science and technology can shorten the construction distance of the corridor and the construction period of key sections and whether it can enhance the degree of connection with the urban agglomerations and improve the transport network system should be analyzed. Furthermore, the key influencing factors in the future domain will be the growth and national discourse support of the corridor. These aspects include strategic positioning and long-term mechanisms to serve the country, the most direct national positioning of the channel, empowerment, and discourse policy support, and others. (2) Ruili and Qingshuihe of Mengding, as the Chinese exit ports of the China-Myanmar Indian Ocean Corridor, have focused on different geographic considerations at different times and have been subject to the influences and constraints of the dominant SWOT elements. Ruili (the "herringbone" corridor) is a type of resistance strategy adjustment, and the Mengding Qingshui River (new corridor) is a type of resistance strategy aggressiveness. (3) On the whole, the advantages and potentials of the line from the Mengding Qingshuihe River to Laxun (the new corridor) are more evident than those of the line from Ruili to Laxun ("herringbone" corridor), and the obstacles and difficulties are relatively small, which proves that the advantages are in Meng for the new corridor program. The "herringbone" corridor and the new corridor have prominent complementary characteristics, highlighting the scientific soundness and feasibility of the double "Y" axis corridor concept.

Keywords

• china-myanmar economic corridor
• china-myanmar indian ocean new corridor
• swot analysis
• geographic process
• mengding qingshui river
• ruili