The "Yixineu-Europe" China-Europe freight train, named after the "Commemorative Number of China-Spain Diplomatic Relations", recently set off from Madrid, capital of Spain, sounding its horn, and the train departing from Yiwu, China at the same time, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of China-Spain diplomatic relations. At present, the continuous expansion of China's international logistics network not only facilitates trade with China, but also helps China and relevant countries achieve win-win development while improving local infrastructure and boosting the development of the logistics industry.

Improve the international logistics system

"Dramatically increased timeliness, greatly reduced cost."

Every morning, the Marashevich railway station on Poland's eastern border is busy with containers marked "China-Europe Freight Train". Dozens of logistics companies from European countries gather here to complete the first transhipment of China-Europe freight trains after entering the EU, and then to all parts of Europe. At present, 90 percent of China-Europe freight trains entering the EU are transshipped here.

"Marashevich Terminal is one of the most important logistics hubs in the EU. Currently, the average transit time from the hub city in western China to Marashevich is eight to nine days, which is a significant increase in timescales and a significant reduction in costs." Said Joanna Kucjko, brand manager of the Polish branch of RTSB, operator of the overseas section of the China-Europe freight train.

The increasingly busy transport scene at Marashevich Terminal is not only a testament to the increasingly smooth flow of China-Europe freight trains, but also a microcosm of the continuous expansion of China's international logistics network. According to statistics from China State Railway Group Co LTD, a total of 16,000 China-Europe freight trains and 1.6 million TEus of cargo were carried in 2022, up 9 percent and 10 percent year-on-year respectively. At present, the China-Europe freight trains have connected 108 cities in China and 208 cities in 25 European countries, carrying 65,000 trains and 6.04 million TEus, making it one of the busiest international freight routes in the world.

China's cross-border rail and sea freight trains are also full of strong vitality. Not long ago, a railway and sea freight train carrying 100 containers of goods from Chongqing Tuanjiecun Central Station to Qinzhou Port in Guangxi took cars, motorcycles, engines and other products to Southeast Asia. During the Spring Festival this year, the number of freight trains running on the New land-sea Corridor in the western region recorded the highest year-on-year growth.

In September 2017, the predecessor of the new Western land-Sea Corridor, China-Singapore Connectivity Southbound rail and Sea Combined Transport, launched its regular operation in Chongqing. With Chongqing as the logistics and operation organization center, and Guangxi, Guizhou, Gansu, Qinghai and other western provinces as the key nodes, the southbound passage has gradually become the most convenient sea passage in western China, reaching Southeast Asia and other parts of the world through Guangxi by means of railway, sea transportation and highway. Today, the new land-sea corridor in the west has been improved, and the rail-sea combined transport network has reached ports in Singapore, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City and many other ASEAN countries and regions.