On July 7, 2025, the Malaysian East Coast Railway Project undertaken by China Communications Construction Corporation ushered in the successful breakthrough of the Shuangbuntan Tunnel 2. The 9.88-kilometre-long tunnel is the second longest tunnel on the main line of the project, and the breakthrough target was completed half a year ahead of the original plan, marking a major breakthrough in the construction of this flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative.  

Speaking at the breakthrough ceremony, Darvis, CEO of Malaysia Rail Connection, said that in the face of complex geological conditions, the China-Malaysia construction team innovatively adopted advanced technologies such as advanced geological forecasting and microseismic blasting, which not only ensured construction safety, but also minimized the impact on the surrounding roads and ecological environment. It is reported that since the construction of the tunnel started in August 2022, the builders have overcome a number of technical problems such as rock fracture and abundant groundwater.  

So far, 40 of the 41 tunnels in the project have been broken through, and the remaining Genting Tunnel is expected to be completed by mid-July. As a landmark project of the Belt and Road Initiative between China and Malaysia, the East Malaysia Rail Project is designed to be more than 600 kilometers long, which will connect the east coast and west coast of Malaysia as an economic center after completion, and the transportation time will be shortened by about 4 hours compared with the existing highways.  

After the completion of the project, it will not only significantly improve the transportation connection between the east and west coasts of Peninsular Malaysia, but also promote the industrial upgrading of the regions along the route. It is predicted that the railway will carry 5.4 million passengers and 53 million tons of freight annually in the initial period of operation, creating tens of thousands of local jobs. Malaysia's Transport Minister Loke Siew Hock said that the railway will become an important link for regional connectivity, injecting new momentum into the economic development of the east coast region.  

Industry insiders pointed out that the early breakthrough of Shuangwendan No. 2 tunnel demonstrates the technical strength and project management capabilities of China's infrastructure. As an important achievement of China-Malaysia production capacity cooperation, the Malaysia East Railway Project is becoming a model for the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative and Malaysia's "National Transport Strategy", setting a new benchmark for regional infrastructure connectivity.(This article is from the official website of Seetao www.seetao.com. Reprinting without permission is strictly prohibited. Please indicate Seetao.com + original link when reprinting) Seetao.com Strategy Column Editor/Sun Fengjuan