A view of Qingdao Port in Shandong province. ZHANG JINGANG/FOR CHINA DAILY

In recent years, leveraging its geographical advantages, Shandong has been tirelessly establishing and enhancing the connectivity of land and sea trade routes in a bid to boost international trade and cooperation.

Recently, a transport vehicle carrying imported goods and displaying the TIR sign arrived in Qingdao. This was the first shipment of imported goods under the TIR system in Shandong province, marking the opening of the first TIR entry channel in Shandong. It was also the first shipment of TIR imported goods originating from Uzbekistan, passing though Kazakhstan, and arriving in the eastern coastal region of China.

TIR is the only global transit system. It enables goods to be shipped between countries in sealed load compartments that are controlled by customs via a multilateral, mutually recognized system. It is the easiest, safest and most reliable way to move goods across multiple international borders, saving time and money for transport operators and customs authorities.

"Our company primarily imports dried fruit products, and in the past, we mainly relied on rail transportation. However, we often encountered situations where we had to wait two to three months after booking a shipment before being able to ship," said Zhang Yanni, a senior manager at Qingdao Wolong Food Co.

"This attempt at using TIR transportation directly from Samarkand, Uzbekistan to Qingdao has proven to be more convenient and efficient. We are hopeful that it will become one of the primary transportation methods for importing goods for our company in the future," said Zhang.