SIMIC

A freight train carrying cargo from Indonesia departed from Qinzhou Port in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, and is en route to Chongqing in southwest China, reports Xinhua.

The train is expected to arrive at its destination within three days.



According to China Railway Nanning Group, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor has witnessed a 14 per cent year-on-year increase in the transportation of over 300,000 TEU through its intermodal freight trains this year.



Nanning Customs' statistics reveal that during the first quarter of this year, the new western land-sea corridor played a significant role in promoting foreign trade in materials and new energy industries.



Along the new western land-sea corridor, Qinzhou Port has seen a staggering 37-fold increase in the import of 40,000 tons of new energy raw materials like nickel-sulphur, ferronickel, and spodumene compared to the previous year.



The total value of imports and exports to and from provinces, regions, and municipalities along the route via Qinzhou Port reached US$4.59 billion, reflecting a substantial 77.4 per cent year-on-year increase.



This year, the new western land-sea corridor has experienced a significant boost in exports of auto parts from Sichuan, Guangxi and Chongqing, doubling their export figures from the same period last year, as stated by Zhao Jian, the deputy director of Qinzhou Port's east railway station.



Notably, there has been a remarkable increase in imports from Thailand, with import volumes growing 50 per cent compared to the previous year.



The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor was launched in 2017 as a collaborative trade and logistics passage between western Chinese provinces and ASEAN member states.



Chongqing serves as the transportation hub for the corridor, utilising ports in Guangxi's Beibu Gulf to connect with ports in Singapore and other ASEAN members.



Additionally, the corridor facilitates connections between cities in western China, Central Asia, South Asia, and Europe.



This corridor spans 17 provinces and 61 cities in China and has expanded its reach to include 393 ports in 119 countries and regions.