A China-Europe freight train running among Guangzhou, Manzhouli, and Russia loaded with 900 metric tons of cargos in 41 containers arrived in Guangzhou's Baiyun district on May 19.

The train is the first of its kind to return to Guangzhou, marking the actual realization of the interconnectivity in train logistics between Guangzhou and countries alongside the Belt and Road since the operation of the China-Europe freight train in Guangzhou began in August 2016.

The train was conducted by China Railway Container Transport Co Ltd (CRCT), departing from Segezha in Russia and entering the Chinese border from Manzhouli. The train has transported a total of 900 tons of quality European kraft paper purchased by CRCT to Guangzhou, meeting the demands in raw materials from downstream manufacturing companies.

A person in charge from CRCT said that the China-Europe freight train has become an important export channel for foreign trade companies, as other export channels, such as aviation and shipping, have been impacted by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The China-Europe freight train running among Guangzhou, Manzhouli, and Russia has operated 17 runs in the first four months of this year, with a year-on-year increase of 13.33 percent, transporting 749 containers worth 580 million yuan ($81.7 million), up 10.96 percent year-on-year.

The operation of the returned train is expected to remarkably shorten the time for Guangzhou to import goods from central Europe and reduce logistics costs, deepening the interconnection between Guangdong province and countries under the BRI.

The first China-Europe freight train running among Guangzhou, Manzhouli, and Russia returning to Guangzhou arrives on May 19. [Photo by Chen Xiao/southcn.com]