The China-Europe Railway Express Cooperation Forum opened in Lianyungang City of Jiangsu Province on September 15.
The forum was co-organized by the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Transport, the General Administration of Customs, and China State Railway Group in partnership with governments of eight regions, including Jiangsu, Heilongjiang, and Sichuan provinces.
The event featured a main forum, two parallel meetings and exhibitions that showcased the achievements of rail transport since its inception.
Jiangsu was among the first provinces in China to launch international cargo train service, with the first trip commenced on December 1, 1992 from Lianyungang. This also marked the inauguration of the New Eurasian Land Bridge.
Over the years, Lianyungang has built an extensive rail transport network. The city operates six freight train routes connecting with key designations across Central Asia via China’s five border ports. It has recorded a total of 15,000 freight train trips, including 91 in last month, setting a monthly record since 2015.
Suzhou launched freight train service in November 2012, followed by Nanjing, Xuzhou and Nantong cities.
Positioned as the intersection of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, the coastal province has played an important role in maintaining industrial chain and supply chain stability. As of the end of August, the province’s freight trains had completed 20,000 trips, including 1,504 trips in the first eight months of this year, a 13.8% increase year-on-year.
Jiangsu International Rail Freight Express Company Limited was established in August 2020 to bolster the quality development of rail transport. Chen Yumao, general manager of the company, said the province currently operates 24 international rail trade routes, covering over 20 cities in 17 European countries, nearly 50 cities in Central Asia countries, and six cities in Southeast Asian countries, with a total of nearly 80 international rail stations.
Jiangsu has developed robust rail transport routes across the land and sea with Lianyungang at the core, with freight train services linking Nanjing, Xuzhou and Suzhou cities to Russia, and a Nanjing-Vientiane line as part of China-Laos freight train network. This ever-growing transport network has solidified the role of Jiangsu, an economic powerhouse of China in the global supply chain.
To date, Jiangsu has attracted more than 4,000 enterprises from countries along the Belt and Road Initiative, and invested in more than 2,000 projects overseas. The province’s seven overseas industrial parks has accommodated 344 enterprises, which have contributed $220 million in tax revenue and created over 51,000 jobs in host places.
In addition, the freight train services have facilitated the province’s international exchanges and cooperation. Cities in Jiangsu have formed sister-city relationships with 354 counterparts in foreign countries, accounting for 12.5% of the nationwide total and ranking first in the country.
