The Silk Road refers to a series of ancient trade routes connecting China with Europe, West Asia, North Africa and other regions. It originated in the 2nd century BC and is an important channel for the spread of Eastern and Western culture, goods, technology and religion.

To promote economic and trade cooperation between Asia and Europe, China has opened a new railway line called the “New Silk Road”, also known as the China-Europe Express. It is an important trade channel between China and Europe. This railway line not only serves European cities such as Madrid and Hamburg, but also connects more cities and regions. The entire route is 10,214 kilometers long and is a major land railway freight channel from central and western China to Europe.

By the end of 2021, the China-Europe Express has connected 125 cities in China, and has formed a major transportation route covering the west, central and east through five major border ports: Alashankou, Horgos, Erenhot, Manchuria and Suifenhe. Overseas, the China-Europe Express has initially built three major transportation channels in the north, middle and south, covering more than 200 cities in 25 European countries and extending to more than 100 cities in 11 Asian countries. Since its launch, the China-Europe Express has run 49,000 times in total, and the total amount of goods transported has exceeded 4.432 million TEUs. The logistics network has fully covered the Eurasian continent.

The China-Europe Express has attracted a large number of cargo transportation demands with its faster speed than sea transport and more cost advantages than air transport, and its cargo transportation value in China-Europe trade has increased year by year. Taking the train from Xi’an, Shaanxi to Duisburg, Germany as an example, it travels 9,908 kilometers and arrives in about 10 days, and its average carbon emissions are only one-fifteenth of air transport and one-seventh of road transport.