with a possible future extension to Bangkok. On 15 December 2011, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin announced that a rail link was being considered between Sakhalin Island and Japan. The rail line, constructed in an undersea tunnel, would link Japan to the Trans-Siberian. Bering Strait link In April 2007 the Russian government announced that it was considering building a double track broad gauge rail tunnel under the Bering Strait between Chukotka and Alaska. The tunnel, as projected, would be long and would include oil and gas pipelines, fiber optic cables and power lines. The tunnel project was estimated to cost $65 billion and take between 15 and 20 years to build. In addition to the Russian government, sponsors of the project apparently include Transneft and RAO United Energy Systems. The project, as envisioned, would connect the Trans-Siberian via Komsomolsk-on-Amur/Yakutsk in Siberian Russia with the North American rail network (gauge to be widened) at Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada, a distance of . A significant hurdle for the project is that the nearest major road to the Russian end of the tunnel is away. In addition, Alaska has no direct rail link to either Canada or the contiguous United States. Other leaders, including Wally Hickel, Lyndon LaRouche, Sun Myung Moon, and the 14th Dalai Lama have also advocated the construction of a tunnel or bridge across the strait. High-speed rail It was reported in the press in March 2007 that China intends to build a high-speed rail link between China and Western Europe with the possibility of a high-speed rail journey from Beijing to London taking just two days. In February 2011, the Chinese government announced that it would jointly sponsor the construction of a high-speed rail line between Astana and Almaty in Kazakhstan. The announced completion date was 2015. See also Belt and Road Initiative Eurasia Continental Bridge corridor Citations General references Print Web Further information Economic history of Russia Economic integration Economy of Siberia Economy of the Russian Far East Economy of Vladivostok History of foreign trade in China History of rail transport International bridges International railway lines in Asia International railway lines in Europe International railway lines Belt and Road Initiative Passenger rail transport Rail cooperatives Rail freight transport Rail transport in Asia Rail transport in China Rail transport in Europe Rail transport in Kazakhstan Rail transport in Russia Transnationalism Transport in the Russian Far East