Introduction

An examination of the spatial and economic landscape in Asia reveals that the continent is witnessing a substantial increase in large-scale infrastructure projects, often specifically in the form of regional corridors. These corridors are typically planned industrial, economic, or infrastructure projects, covering large geographical areas, often spanning national borders. They often focus on improving economic growth, trade, and industry and are strongly linked to the economic plans and strategies of their host nations.

Corridors have become ubiquitous in Asia. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is funding a series of corridors that spans across China, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos under its Greater Mekong Sub- Region Economic Co-operation Program (Asian Development Bank 2016). In Central Asia, a series of corridors are being planned under the Central Asian Regional Economic Co-operation (CAREC) program, presumably to improve trade and industrial links between Central Asian nations, while acting as conduits between East Asia and Europe (Asian Development Bank 2014). Malaysia already has a series of industrial corridors while India is currently developing a similar set within its national borders, linking major urban centers such as Delhi and Mumbai. More recently, the People's Republic of China embarked on an ambitious project called One Belt One Road (OBOR) or the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that seeks to capitalize on the historical Silk Road network as well as linking major seaports along Asian coastlines (Rolland 2015). The government of Japan has even proposed a “peace corridor” in the Middle East, involving Israel, Palestine, and Jordan, to promote regional co-operation (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan 2006).