Taiwan Strait Tunnel Project

The Taiwan Strait Tunnel Project is a proposed undersea tunnel to connect Pingtan in Mainland China to Hsinchu in Taiwan as part of the G3 Beijing–Taipei Expressway. First proposed in 1996, the project has since been subject to a number of academic discussions and feasibility studies, including by the China Railway Engineering Corporation. The route between Pingtan and Hsinchu was chosen because of its short distance (compared to other proposed routes) and its relative geological stability (in a region frequented by earthquakes). One expert from the Chinese Academy of Engineering suggested in 2005 that the Taiwan Strait Tunnel Project was one of five major undersea tunnel projects under consideration for the next twenty to thirty years.

The project is not considered viable due to a lack of interest from the Taiwanese, staggering costs and unsolved technical problems. At nearly   km undersea, the proposed tunnel would be much longer than existing Seikan Tunnel (), the Channel tunnel () and the China-lead Bohai Strait tunnel project . In addition, Taiwan is concerned about the tunnel's potential use by China in aggressive military actions.  Nonetheless, in July 2013, the Chinese State Council approved plans for the project.

See also
 Bohai Strait tunnel
G3 Beijing-Taipei Expressway
Beijing–Taipei High-Speed Rail Corridor
G99 Taiwan Ring Expressway
China National Highway 228

References

External links
 An Engineering Concept of the Taiwan Strait Tunnel
Socioeconomic Impact of the Taiwan Strait Tunnel

Category:Proposed undersea tunnels in Asia
Category:Transportation in Taiwan
Category:Transport in China
Category:Kinmen
Category:Proposed transport infrastructure in China
Category:Proposed transportation infrastructure in Taiwan
Category:Taiwan Strait