North China's Shanxi sees 700 China-Europe freight train trips

Aerial photo taken on May 12, 2022 shows freight trains at a maintenance base in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province. (Xinhua/Cao Yang)

North China's Shanxi Province has handled a total of 700 China-Europe freight train trips since the service was launched in February 2017, according to local railway administration on Sunday.

After six years of operation, the China-Europe freight trains pass through three main corridors -- western, eastern, and middle -- via the four border ports of Manzhouli and Erenhot in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region as well as Alashankou and Horgos in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, said Zhou Yong, deputy manager of Shanxi Jinou Logistics Co., Ltd.

Right now, ten China-Europe freight train routes link the province with more than 40 cities in 13  countries along the routes of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Zhou added.

As the province improves its opening-up level, goods that exported by the China-Europe freight train services have expanded from manufacturing equipment and raw materials such as wheels, stainless steel and solar photovoltaic modules to multiple categories.

Medicines, flanges, ceramics, glassware and walnuts produced in the province are among the main exports transported abroad via the freight train services, while imports via returned trains majorly consist of wood, pulp, electrolytic copper, cotton yarn and other goods. (Edited by Tian Shenyoujia, tianshenyoga0524@163.com)