Through the China-Europe Railway Express, we can see the openness and dynamism of China’s economy.

　　Xinhua News Agency, Xi'an, April 22 – Title: Through the China-Europe Railway Express, Witness the Openness and Vitality of China's Economy

　　Xinhua News Agency Reporter Feng Bing

　　The latest data shows that from January to February this year, Shaanxi's total import and export value reached 121.137 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 69%, with a growth rate 55.4 percentage points higher than the national average, ranking first in the country.

　　Among them, exports grew by 85.2%, imports grew by 31.9%, and the trade surplus exceeded 63.8 billion yuan.

　　This is the report card of an inland province that neither borders the sea nor shares a border with other countries. The data is exciting and raises questions: Where does such high growth come from?

　　Let's explore the answer through the China-Europe Railway Express.

　　At the Xi'an International Port Station, gantry cranes operate day and night, and container trucks shuttle back and forth. One after another, China-Europe Railway Express trains sound their whistles and set off westward across the Eurasian continent, closely connecting the trade and economic networks of over 200 cities in 26 countries.

　　Since the beginning of the year, it has become even busier here.

　　On March 2, the number of China-Europe Railway Express (Xi'an) trips in 2026 exceeded 1,000, reaching this milestone 19 days earlier than in 2025, with a year-on-year increase of over 30%. Among them, the Caspian Sea route performed particularly well, with the number of trips in the first quarter increasing by 150% year-on-year and transportation efficiency improving by about 25%.

　　The smooth flow of logistics channels is a prerequisite for trade growth.

　　Take the Caspian Sea route as an example. In the past, it took about 20 days on average to travel from Xi'an to Baku, Azerbaijan. Now, it has stabilized at 15 days, with the fastest time being 11 days. Don't underestimate the reduction of 5 to 9 days. For an export company, shorter transit times mean faster turnover and higher efficiency.

　　Ma Dong, General Manager of Xi'an Perfect International Logistics Co., Ltd., deeply feels the impact: "The significant improvement in transportation efficiency allows orders to be delivered more promptly, overseas customers' trust is increasing, our products are more competitive in the market, the company's capital turnover rate has significantly improved, and our confidence in development has grown stronger."

　　Logistics is the pulse of the economy. The China-Europe Railway Express has pushed inland regions like Shaanxi to the forefront of opening up. In 2025, the China-Europe Railway Express (Xi'an) drove Shaanxi's imports and exports to 41.54 billion yuan, an increase of 11.7%.

　　Since the beginning of this year, the driving effect of the China-Europe Railway Express has become even more apparent. From January to February, Shaanxi's processing trade imports and exports reached 77.288 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 1.2 times, accounting for 63.8% of the province's total import and export value. Bonded logistics imports and exports reached 11.675 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 80.5%. The rapid growth of these two trade methods is directly related to the logistics convenience and improved customs clearance efficiency brought by the China-Europe Railway Express.

　　At the Xi'an International Port Station, the smart logistics supervision system has achieved full-process visualization, and the "smart customs clearance" mobile application allows companies to handle procedures without leaving their offices. A 24/7 customs clearance support team is always on standby, reducing port clearance times from half a day to less than 30 minutes, with the fastest time being just a few minutes.

　　The changes in the types of goods transported by the China-Europe Railway Express also serve as a mirror.

　　At the beginning of its operation, the main goods transported were daily necessities, small commodities, and mechanical equipment. Now, in the loading area of the Xi'an International Port Station, containers filled with new energy vehicles, photovoltaic components, and smart home appliances are being orderly loaded.

　　"Since the beginning of this year, the proportion of high-value-added goods transported by the China-Europe Railway Express (Xi'an) has continued to increase, and many companies have actively added more train dispatch plans," said Liu Shunli, Duty Manager of the Xi'an International Port Business Department of China Railway Xi'an Group Co., Ltd.

　　Data confirms this trend: From January to February, Shaanxi's exports of mechanical and electrical products reached 83.843 billion yuan, an increase of 94.5%, accounting for 90.7% of the province's total export value. Exports of high-tech products reached 67.774 billion yuan, an increase of 1.4 times. Exports of automatic data processing equipment reached 15.701 billion yuan, an increase of 2.1 times. The province's imports and exports to countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative reached 66.835 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 78.2%.

On January 21, 2026, the first "door-to-door" New Year goods special train of the China-Europe Railway Express (Xi'an) arrived in Xi'an, carrying agricultural products such as finished grain and oil, and honey from Kazakhstan. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Yibo

　　The iteration and upgrading of exported goods reflect the optimization of China's industrial structure and its move toward high-quality development.

　　Recognizing the logistics advantages of the China-Europe Railway Express, more and more companies are choosing to establish themselves along its routes, accelerating the construction of the China-Europe Railway Express economic circle.

　　After multiple comparisons, Shaanxi Konka Intelligent Home Appliance Co., Ltd. ultimately chose a location just 1 kilometer away from the Xi'an assembly center of the China-Europe Railway Express. According to the company’s head, since production began in 2022, nearly 250,000 white goods have been transported to Central Asia, Europe, and other regions via the China-Europe Railway Express.

　　More noteworthy is that the China-Europe Railway Express brings not only the circulation of goods but also industrial cooperation and people-to-people connections.

　　In the first quarter of this year, the Kazakhstan Xi'an Terminal handled over 6,000 containers, with cargo throughput increasing by 60% year-on-year. Jiang Haochen, Deputy General Manager of China-Kazakhstan (Xi'an) Trade and Logistics Co., Ltd., said that the China-Europe Railway Express is becoming a new engine for the rapid growth of China-Kazakhstan trade.

　　The China·Xi'an Kazakhstan Terminal and the Kazakhstan Xi'an Terminal, thousands of kilometers apart, echo each other, achieving direct "hub-to-hub" connections and bringing more benefits to the people of both countries. In 2025, China-Kazakhstan trade through the China-Europe Railway Express reached 5.32 billion yuan, an increase of 19.1%. The number of employees at the Kazakhstan National Railway Company's subsidiary in Xi'an has grown from 3 at the beginning to 16.

　　Riding the momentum of the China-Europe Railway Express, Xi'an Aiju Group has grown into a multinational company engaged in China-Kazakhstan grain and oil trade. Over more than a decade, the company has transported over 600,000 tons of Kazakh flour, edible oil, and other products to China, providing consumers with more shopping choices.

　　Not long ago, several children of Aiju Group's Kazakh employees embarked on their study journey to Xi'an, planting the seeds of China-Kazakhstan friendship in the hearts of the next generation.

　　Such stories of openness are not isolated cases. From Shaanxi to the entire country, the vitality of openness continues to burst forth, new spaces for foreign trade are rapidly expanding, and regions are better connecting to the international cycle. According to data from the General Administration of Customs, in the first two months of 2026, China's total import and export value of goods trade reached 7.73 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 18.3%.

A China-Europe Railway Express (Xi'an) train departs from Xi'an International Port Station. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Shao Rui

　　In the first quarter of this year, the number of trips and freight volume of the China-Europe Railway Express in many parts of the country accelerated. Inland cities such as Chongqing, Zhengzhou, and Urumqi are riding the express train of the China-Europe Railway Express to deeply integrate into the global economic system.

　　Currently, with weak global economic momentum and severe challenges to multilateralism and free trade, the continued prosperity of the China-Europe Railway Express is even more valuable. With stable, efficient, and green logistics services, it has become the "steel backbone" ensuring the stability of global industrial and supply chains, injecting strong "Chinese power" into the recovery of the world economy.

　　From a single railway line to a logistics network, from one-way transportation to two-way connectivity, from an inland region to the forefront of openness, the China-Europe Railway Express bears witness to China's firm and confident embrace of the world with an open stance.

　　The whistle blows, and the wheels keep turning. The steel dragon gallops across the Eurasian continent, traversing deserts and grasslands, connecting cities and villages, building a bridge for China-foreign trade exchanges, witnessing people-to-people connections, and showcasing the openness and vitality of China's economy.