Well, OK, not that particular train itself. But what it represents. You see, this was the first ever shipment of cargo between Wuyi, China and Tehran, Iran, and it only took 14 days to travel the 6,462 miles between the two cities. Compare that to the traditional method of shipment between China and Iran. Those containers would generally be loaded onto ships in Shanghai and travel to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. Total journey time: 44 days. They just shaved a month off the trip.

Again, the significance of this is not the connection between China and Iran, per se. It is that this new rail line represents only one part of a much, much, much more ambitious project: China's "One Belt, One Road" plan to build a vast transportation infrastructure connecting the "middle kingdom" to destinations all throughout Central and South Asia, Eurasia, and even Europe. The plan is as ambitious as it is comprehensive; consisting of a "Silk Road Economic Belt" and a "21st-Century Maritime Silk Road," the aim is to link China to 65 countries with a combined population of 4.4 billion people, or more than half the population of the planet.

In an official news release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs outlining the project, the Chinese government explains:

"More than two millennia ago the diligent and courageous people of Eurasia explored and opened up several routes of trade and cultural exchanges that linked the major civilizations of Asia, Europe and Africa, collectively called the Silk Road by later generations. For thousands of years, the Silk Road Spirit – 'peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit' – has been passed from generation to generation, promoted the progress of human civilization, and contributed greatly to the prosperity and development of the countries along the Silk Road. Symbolizing communication and cooperation between the East and the West, the Silk Road Spirit is a historic and cultural heritage shared by all countries around the world."

The new silk road, then, is intended to be the 21st century equivalent of this millennia-old idea. But it is about so much more than mere transportation infrastructure.

The government document outlining this vision references a number of projects that China plans to undertake with its partner countries throughout the region: promoting cross-border energy infrastructure connectivity and oil and gas pipeline security; sharing government data and statistics on issues of mutual concern; harmonizing regulations; fostering cross-border cooperation in law enforcement; jointly investing in next generation technologies in materials science, biotech, IT, and other emerging industries; spearheading joint R&D efforts in production and marketing systems; increasing cooperation of financial institutions and even attempting to integrate financial systems; expanding the scale and scope of existing regional organizations like APEC, the SCO and ASEAN; establishing international fora and exhibitions to promote cross-border trade and cultural exchange; and on and on and on.

If the plan is sounding more like a nascent attempt at forming a regional government than a mere attempt to build a few new rail lines, that's because it is. Or, more precisely, it is China's attempt to convert some of its growing economic clout into geopolitical clout.