China-Europe Railway Express injects new impetus into world economic development: spokesperson

BEIJING, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- The China-Europe Railway Express has grown into a bustling network, contributing to keeping global industrial and supply chains stable and injecting new impetus into the world economic development over the past decade, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a daily press briefing When asked to comment on the role played by the China-Europe Railway Express in promoting the economic development of countries along the routes. November 28 marks the 10th anniversary of the China-Europe Railway Express (Xi'an), which has seen over 20,000 trips, accounting for a quarter of all trips made under the Railway Express.

The China-Europe Railway Express has become a flagship project and a signature brand of Belt and Road cooperation, said Wang.

Noting that the Railway Express has built a new land transportation corridor, promoting win-win cooperation in Eurasia, and it runs through more than 100 cities in 11 Asian countries and regions and reaches more than 200 cities in 25 European countries, Wang said the cargo transportation time between China and Europe can be shortened by more than 20 days from shipping by sea, which means quality products from China and Europe can reach each other's markets more quickly.

Over the past decade, with strong demand for cross-border transport, a total of 81,000 trips were made under the Railway Express, covering over 700 million kilometers. It has shipped more than 7.6 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of goods worth over 340 billion U.S. dollars, giving a strong boost to international economic and trade cooperation, promoting economic development and livelihood improvement in countries and regions along the routes, and contributing to the unfettered operation of global industrial and supply chains, he added.

Wang said the China-Europe Railway Express is a vivid example of the steady progress in Belt and Road cooperation. With expanding sources of goods and more high-tech products, the Railway Express is transforming from featuring a simple corridor economy to a value-added one. It is benefiting countries and regions along the routes with high-quality development.

The China-Europe Railway Express originates from China, connects Asia and Europe, and benefits the whole world, Wang said, adding that China will continue to work with partners in Asia and Europe to usher in another decade of a two-way journey full of opportunities and to embrace a bright future of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.