The transport center in the SCO demonstration area is a key hub connecting coastal ports in Shandong with inland regions. [Photo/WeChat account: QDJT2022]

This year, China's foreign trade has stayed stable and positive, driving strong demand for cross-border transport.

By Aug 25, the China-Europe freight train service from the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area in Qingdao, or the SCO demonstration area, has made a dual breakthrough in both the number of routes and the types of goods moved, with 449 trains launched this year, moving over 46,900 TEUs, a 29.2 percent increase from last year, setting a new record for this time.

On Aug 25, the X8022 China-Europe freight train, loaded with excavators, tires, refrigerators, and other "Made in China" products, left the area's transport center. It is expected to reach Selyatino, Russia, in 15 days.

"By piloting the 'single-bill' multimodal transport model with customs, companies can now complete one declaration for the entire journey, improving efficiency and cutting costs," said Gao Yitian, head of the Jiaozhou business department of Jinan Railway Logistics Center of China State Railway Group Co Ltd.

The transport center in the SCO demonstration area is a key hub connecting coastal ports in Shandong with inland regions. 

Since the SCO demonstration area began, 4,954 China-Europe freight trains have been handled, with a peak daily capacity of 2,000 TEUs. The area now runs 31 regular international freight train routes, connecting 54 cities in 23 SCO member states and countries in the Belt and Road Initiative.