Faced with container shortages, high costs and delays by sea, Chinese manufacturers are looking to export their goods by land, the Financial Times reported last week. In addition to transport efficiency, increased orders from European countries and the increase of freight routes under the “One Belt And One Road” initiative also contributed to the significant growth in freight volume of China-Europe freight trains.
China has in recent years reinvigorated rail freight links between China and Europe via Central Asia, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing industry sources. During the COVID-19 outbreak, customers saw the reliability of rail services compared to sea and air freight, and believed they would choose the China-Europe train for the long term.
For more than 2,000 years, the east and west ends of the Eurasian continent have maintained frequent material and personnel exchanges. Land transport has long played a prominent role in two-way exchanges of goods, culture and people between China and Europe.
In recent years, with the promotion of “One Belt And One Road” construction, the Sino-European land transport system has developed by leaps and bounds and its layout has become more perfect, which has played a greater role in deepening the all-round connection between the Eurasian continent. First of all, China and Europe have more diversified and balanced land transport modes. Land links between China and Europe are long, vast and cover many countries and regions. The coordinated development of railways, highways and cross-border oil and gas pipelines between China and Europe has created a more complete land transport network with more convenient connectivity. Second, the China-EU land transport system is playing an increasingly important role in China-EU economic and trade exchanges. Highway grades and mileage in different parts of the Eurasian continent have been greatly improved. Especially with the regular operation of China-Europe freight trains, the carrying capacity, capacity and frequency of land transport between China and Europe have all experienced explosive growth, ushering in a new era of land routes between China and Europe. Third, customs clearance and cargo transit at China and Europe’s land transport ports will be smoother. With the continuous progress of “One Belt And One Road” construction, more ports have been opened in various countries, breakthroughs have been made in the coordination between customs and inspection and quarantine authorities of various countries, and customs clearance has become more convenient, which has greatly improved the transport efficiency of railway and road between China and Europe, and further magnifies the advantages of convenient and fast land transport.
Since operation in March 2011, china-eu trains connect China with the continent, shipping, air cargo, vigorously expanding scope of radiation, steadily improving service ability, both in number and size of explosive growth, only a year 2020, operation 12406 columns, up 50% from a year earlier, hit the “column” mark for the first time, To become an important carrier for promoting the connectivity of the Silk Road Economic Belt.
The rapid development of China-Europe freight trains fully shows that it has great advantages and potential. First, China-Europe freight trains are fast, efficient and cost-effective. The transport time of the China-Europe freight train is only 1/3 of that of sea transport, while the transport cost is only 1/6 to 1/8 of that of air transport. Second, the regular operation of China-Europe freight trains has given full play to the advantages of the stability of railway transport. As the Eurasian continent’s railway transport infrastructure improves, customs clearance standards become more and more coordinated and convenient, and the integration and speed of various freight lines are accelerated, the advantages of China-Europe freight trains will be further highlighted. In 2020, in the face of the impact of COVID-19, the total trade volume between China and Europe reached 586 billion euros, with a year-on-year growth of 4.5%, and China became the largest trading partner of the EU. This is partly due to the stable operation of China-Europe freight trains. At the present stage, although the vast majority of goods transport between China and Europe is still carried out by sea, the China-EU land transport system plays the role of power source and stabilizer in global economic and trade cooperation.
The China-Europe land transport system will have a brighter future as the China-Europe freight train fully shows its comprehensive advantages of being safe, fast and less affected by the natural environment, further improves the network layout, promotes market-oriented development, and works with the extension and upgrading of the Eurasian continent’s road network. Road access lines will become stronger, more smooth operation and kinetic energy to connect more efficient, more cohesive, services more convenient channel of international economy and trade, further strengthening china-eu economic and trade cooperation and exchange of Bridges, become all-weather to maintain safe operation of the global supply chain, supplies the chain and value chain gold channel, boost world economic recovery.
