"'Hard connectivity' in infrastructure, 'soft connectivity' in trade and 'people-to-people connectivity' among different countries along the route have been promoted. The China's proposed Belt and Road Initiative has been widely echoed and accepted by the international community because it delivers benefits to people's livelihood and the world." The Third Symposium on the Development of the Belt and Road Initiative which was held on November 19 in Beijing not only set out a new vision for the Belt and Road Initiative, but also pointed out the direction for Henan province to expand opening-up and actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative.
Click on the video
In recent years, Henan has been active in promoting the Belt and Road Initiative and thus achieved some progress. Based on China-Europe freight train (Zhengzhou), Henan has promoted "hard connectivity" in infrastructure, "soft connectivity" in trade and "people-to-people connectivity" among different countries along the route.
A China-Europe freight train (Zhengzhou). [Photo provided to dahe.cn]
With more than 8 years of efforts, China-Europe freight train (Zhengzhou) has formed a logistics network with 10 direct destinations covering more than 130 cities of over 30 countries in Europe, Central Asia, ASEAN and Asian-Pacific region, which has provided transportation support to keep the global industrial and supply chains stable. Besides, changes have taken place quietly in people's life in Henan. Nowadays, people can directly shop for a variety of off-price products from around the world without the need of traveling abroad, such as Russian milk, French wine, Belgian chocolate and German beer. At the same time, supported by China-Europe freight train (Zhengzhou), Henan's special products like Luoyang's YTO tractors, Xinyang's Maojian tea, Nanyang's shiitake mushroom and Shangqiu's cotton are also widely accepted in the Belt and Road countries. During the COVID-19 pandemic, China-Europe freight train (Zhengzhou) set up a green channel for medical device firms in Changyuan (a county-level city of Xinxiang) for the transportation of their medical supplies, which contributed Henan's efforts to the building of the Health Silk Road for global pandemic prevention and control and medical assistance.
So far, more than 100 shops selling over 630 varieties of products brought by China-Europe freight train (Zhengzhou) have been set up across China with annual sales of more than 1 billion yuan, thus forming a virtuous cycle of freight driving trade while trade boosting freight. (Chinese source: Henan Daily Reporter: Lu Yancui Translator: Zhao Hanqing Broadcaster: Wang Jiaqi Video: Wang Junyi Proofreader: Zhang Junping)
China-Europe freight train (Zhengzhou) has become a platform for Henan to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative
Achievements over the past years
So far, a logistics network has been formed, with 6 entry/exit ports and 10 direct destinations covering more than 130 cities of over 30 countries in Europe, Central Asia, ASEAN and Asian-Pacific region.
Up to now, more than 100 shops selling over 630 varieties of products brought by China-Europe freight train (Zhengzhou) have been set up across China with annual sales of more than 1 billion yuan.
Plans for the future
China-Europe freight train (Zhengzhou) will stick to "hard connectivity" in infrastructure and build secondary business networks in Anyang, Luoyang and Shangqiu.
China-Europe freight train (Zhengzhou) will provide "logistics+" services to countries along the route to make stronger its "soft connectivity" in trade.
