KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's government has said it would consider extending a $10 billion China-led rail project to its border with Thailand to boost economic ties between the Southeast Asian neighbours. Part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, the 665-kilometre (413-mile), 50.27 billion ringgit ($10.63 billion) railway is on track to connect the east and west coasts of peninsular Malaysia by the end of 2026. Malaysia's Transport Minister Anthony Loke said on Wednesday the government was open to proposals to extend the track to the border with Thailand, for further integration into existing railway networks or future infrastructure developments. Thailand also has plans to invest in a massive land bridge project in the country's south to boost growth and global trade. The bridge would bypass the congested Strait of Malacca, a narrow sea lane between Malaysia and Indonesia.

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Persons: Anthony Loke, Loke, Danial Azhar, Panu, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: Reuters, Initiative, Malaysia's, Malaysia's Senate, Malaysian, China Communications Construction Co Locations: KUALA LUMPUR, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Malacca, Indonesia, Bangkok