China News Service, May 14. The Ministry of Commerce held a press conference on the 14th to brief on recent key work in the commercial field.
At the meeting, a reporter asked: Recently, the cumulative number of China-Europe Railway Express trains has exceeded 130,000, with cargo value shipped exceeding 520 billion US dollars. Could the Ministry of Commerce provide detailed information on the China-Europe Railway Express? What are the next steps to further enhance the transport efficiency of the China-Europe Railway Express, accelerate the construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, and deepen and solidify “Belt and Road” economic and trade cooperation?
Spokesperson He Yongqian stated that in recent years, the China-Europe Railway Express has leveraged its own advantages to effectively ensure the security and stability of the China-Europe industrial and supply chains, injecting new impetus into the economic and social development of countries along the route, and becoming the tireless “steel camel caravan” on the Silk Road Economic Belt. The Ministry of Commerce attaches great importance to the crucial role of the China-Europe Railway Express in ensuring the smooth flow of foreign trade transport corridors and fully supports its stable operation. First, against the backdrop of regional instability, it utilizes bilateral economic and trade cooperation mechanisms with countries along the route to promptly address issues encountered during the operation of the trains on overseas sections, properly handling risks and challenges. Second, it fully leverages the efficient and stable advantages of the China-Europe Railway Express, strives to deepen economic and trade cooperation with countries along the route, actively develops cargo sources for the trains, promotes the improvement of customs clearance efficiency by foreign parties, and continuously strengthens the mutual reinforcement between logistics corridors and trade investment. Third, it promoted the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the International Effects of Judicial Sales of Ships by the UN General Assembly, filling a gap in international rules regarding the issue of negotiable cargo documents for cross-border railway waybills, and facilitating “Belt and Road” connectivity. China has played a leading role and made original contributions in this process.
Going forward, the Ministry of Commerce will fully leverage the role of multilateral and bilateral economic and trade cooperation mechanisms with countries along the China-Europe Railway Express route, enhance communication and coordination, further stimulate the development potential of the China-Europe Railway Express, and make positive contributions to advancing high-level opening-up and the high-quality development of the “Belt and Road” initiative.
