#Russian authorities are studying the feasibility of building a railway to #China through the Altai region. According to Kommersant , the government is considering the project partly as a response to competition from the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route , which bypasses #Russia, and to reduce dependence on unstable southern maritime routes. Four possible routes are currently being studied, ranging from 825 to 1,123 km , including around 228 km through Chinese territory .