Shaanxi is the latest province to join a land-sea trade corridor that facilitates commerce between western Chinese provinces and other countries and regions.
The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor is a trade and logistics passage jointly built by western Chinese provincial regions and Singapore under the framework of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity.
Chongqing is a center of operation for the corridor. Goods are transported to the Beibu Gulf in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and transferred to sea routes. The corridor offers an alternative for western Chinese provinces and autonomous regions other than shipping goods from the east coast.
Shaanxi, the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, became the ninth province to sign on to the corridor after Chongqing, Guangxi, Guizhou, Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Yunnan, and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.
The provinces and autonomous regions are expected to improve logistics infrastructure, boost commercial relations and exchange of information, and innovate in policy-making, said Han Baochang, director general of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity Administrative Bureau.
By the end of March, freight trains on the routes had made 901 trips, covering 166 ports in 71 countries and regions.