China’s rail shipments to Europe set records as demand surges for Chinese goods amid coronavirus
- July saw 1,232 cargo trains travel from Chinese cities to European destinations – the most ever in a single month
- Once regarded as merely ornamental, freight service along belt and road trade routes has become increasingly important as exporters turn to railway transport
The volume of China’s belt and road railway cargo to Europe has set records for five consecutive months as Covid-19 has limited transport by air and sea while causing an increase in the demand for Chinese-made medical supplies abroad, according to the China State Railway Group.
The latest figures from the state-owned railway builder, also known as China Railway, showed that a total of 1,232 trains were arranged from different Chinese cities to European destinations in July. It was the highest monthly figure ever, and an increase of 68 per cent from a year earlier.
In addition, the trains are getting longer as 113,000 standard cargo containers were shipped last month, a year-on-year increase of 73 per cent.
In the first seven months of 2020, freight services between Chinese cities and destinations along the Eurasia trade routes tallied 6,354 trips, an increase of 41 per cent from a year earlier, the railway group said.
The Belt and Road Initiative is a vast China-centred strategy to grow global trade and gain international influence. Masterminded by President Xi Jinping, the plan involves dozens of countries and more than US$1 trillion in investment.