A new freight train was recently launched linking Liuzhou city in South China’s Guangxi-Zhuang autonomous region and Moscow, Russia, according to the media. Experts state that the link is expected to boost the already strong economic trade and cooperation between China and Russia.
The first train on the route departed from Liuzhou with 57 loaders and four motor grades made by Liugong Machinery. Covering a distance of around 11,00 kilometres, the train is scheduled to arrive in Moscow within 20 days. According to Luo Guobing, vice-president of Liugong Machinery, this has brought down the transport time by more than 14 days compared to ocean shipping. The train service will further enhance the connectivity and logistics between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs).
The freight train service provides high-quality economic and trade cooperation based on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It will facilitate the recovery of the world economy from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The route is planned to operate once or twice a month. It is the first time that transportation is used for this particular route and adopts the one-stop cross-border mode without the train re-marshalling. Reports also say that this saves transportation costs for enterprises both in terms of capital and time. Experts say that the new route will offer better options to firms to diversify their logistics solutions amidst a global pandemic.
The exports and imports between China and other BRI-related economies are already on the rise. This new route could ease the transportation capacity under the current circumstances and boost China’s trade and economic growth.