Since its launch in February this year, the Kazakhstan Xi'an Terminal has facilitated the transit of over 18,000 metric tons of goods. With China-Europe freight trains speeding through, this is a flourishing Kazakhstani hub that has seamlessly integrated into China's trade and logistics network.

Currently, goods from over 20 provinces across China are gathering in Xi'an, ready to be transported to their final destinations via the freight train service.

The Kazakhstan Xi'an Terminal officially starts operation on Feb 28. [Photo/Xi'an Daily]

Establishing an international transit hub

On Feb 28, the Kazakhstan Xi'an Terminal oversaw its first China-Europe freight train, launching the trans-Caspian international freight train from Xi'an to Baku, Azerbaijan. On March 11, the train arrived in Baku, with the presidents of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan jointly attending the welcoming ceremony.

With the opening of this Xi'an-Baku route, more goods can be transported to countries such as Turkiye and Georgia.

As of March 29, the China-Europe freight train (Xi'an) had made 1,000 trips this year, an increase of 107 trains compared to the same period last year.

A China-Europe freight train departs from Xi'an. [Photo/Xi'an news network]

Optimizing hub platform services

Currently, the Belt and Road E-commerce Center in Xi'an has gathered 127 enterprises of various types, introduced over 1,500 industry professionals, and put 50 live-streaming rooms into operation.

In 2023, Xi'an's economic and trade cooperation with Central Asia, ASEAN, Europe, and other countries and regions continued to expand, with the number of newly established foreign enterprises increasing by 37 percent year-on-year.

Currently, 27 companies in Xi'an have established 51 overseas warehouses in 24 countries and regions, with the cross-border e-commerce transaction volume exceeding 16.8 billion yuan ($2.32 billion) last year, a year-on-year increase of 16.7 percent.

Enhancing the quality and efficiency of modern logistics systems

On March 22, the first Belt and Road cross-border e-commerce TIR international truck departed from Xi'an, marking the seamless implementation of the railway-road dual transportation model.

Currently, Xi'an has become the first city in China to achieve full coverage of passenger routes to the five countries in Central Asia. In 2023, the city's total imports and exports reached 359.76 billion yuan, with a 16.4-percent increase in trade with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.