China's goods trade with B&R countries reaches over 6 trln dollars

The goods trade volume between China and countries and regions along the Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI) surpassed 6 trillion U.S. dollars from 2013 to 2018, according to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

In the past six years, China has signed 173 cooperative documents with 125 countries, including the developed and developing countries, and 29 international organizations, Yuan Da, spokesperson with the NDRC, told a press briefing Thursday.

Many firms and financial institutions in developed countries also partnered with China to explore opportunities in the third-party markets, Yuan said.

As for infrastructure connectivity, projects including the China-Laos Railway, China-Thailand Railway and Port of Piraeus are smoothly progressing, he said.

The China-Europe freight trains, connecting China with 50 cities in 15 European countries, had made more than 14,000 trips by the end of March, he said.

In terms of financial connectivity, China has signed currency swap agreements with 20 countries along the Belt and Road and formed RMB clearing arrangements with seven countries, Yuan said.