A freight train waits to depart Wenzhou for Europe. [Photo/66wz.com]

Wenzhou in East China's Zhejiang province has been striving to open up and become more connected with the world.

Statistics show that from January to November 2021, Wenzhou's imports and exports were valued at 217.2 billion yuan ($30.08 billion), up 9.2 percent year on year.

Cross-border e-commerce has played a pivotal role in the city's foreign trade as statistics show that imports and exports during the same period were up 891 percent to 11.66 billion yuan, with imports surging 283 percent to 1.78 billion yuan and exports skyrocketing 1,286 percent to 9.88 billion yuan.

Made-in-Wenzhou products have also benefited from cross-border railways, allowing them to reach customers in countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, as statistics show that over 100 freight trains have been shuttling between the two areas in 2021, with the total volume reaching 10,551 TEUs of goods worth $340-million from 1,043 enterprises.

Direct cargo flights departing from Wenzhou for Milan, Los Angeles, and Tokyo have begun operating in recent months, and flights to BRI countries are on the agenda.