Thomas Rideg, managing director of Local Origins in Toronto: “China has already poured billions of dollars into port infrastructure and logistics across Asia, Africa and South America, advancing its dual objectives of securing raw material supplies and expanding markets for its finished goods. In that context, the vision of a transcontinental ‘bioceanic’ railway connecting the South American Pacific and Atlantic Oceans is becoming increasingly tangible. In Brazil, the Lula administration is eager to see construction begin before the 2026 presidential election, with Chinese financing seen as the path forward. The proposed railway would significantly cut transit times and shipping costs by reducing dependence on heavily trafficked maritime routes like the Panama Canal. It would also further entrench China’s growing economic influence in Brazil, particularly across key sectors such as agribusiness, mining and logistics. However, the project still faces major unresolved challenges, mainly environmental, logistical and…”