N. China's Inner Mongolia fully leverages advantages of ports to boost opening-up

This photo taken on March 17, 2023 shows a freight train at the railway port in Manzhouli, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. (Photo by Li Fachun/Xinhua)

North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has constantly leveraged advantages of the ports to boost its opening-up in recent years.

A total of 20 ports have been approved by the central authorities to support the region's opening-up to the outside world, including two railway ports, 12 highway ports, and six airports, according to an official of the Development and Reform Commission of Inner Mongolia.

In terms of railway ports, Manzhouli Port and Erenhot Port are significant channels for imports and exports through China-Europe freight trains. 

For example, in 2023, the number of trips made by the China-Europe freight trains via the Manzhouli Port exceeded 5,000 with 540,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) delivered. It marks a decade of consecutive growth in the trips made and the TEUs delivered by the China-Europe freight trains. 

At present, there have been 21 routes run by the China-Europe freight trains via the Manzhouli Port, connecting 13 countries, including Russia, Poland, Germany, and Belgium. The transported goods cover 12 categories, such as daily necessities, industrial machinery, and agricultural products.  

In terms of aviation ports for opening-up, Inner Mongolia now boasts five such airports in Hohhot, Manzhouli, Hailar, Ordos, and Baotou, and is accelerating construction of the sixth air port for opening-up in Erenhot.

Data showed that in the first half of 2023, 101 inbound and outbound flights departed or arrived at Hohhot airport, serving a total of 4,296 passengers. 

The region will make efforts to enhance infrastructure connectivity to further promote high-level opening up and BRI construction, said the official. (Edited by Hu Pingchao, Xie Weijia, hupingchao@xinhua.org)