en.Wedoany.com Reported - Liang Linchong, Director of the Regional Opening-up Department of China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), stated at a special press conference in Beijing on July 28 that during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the NDRC will work with all parties to solidly advance the construction of the "Four Major Systems" of the China-Europe Railway Express—efficient transportation, safety governance, diversified routes, and innovative development—to achieve new and greater results, contributing to the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative.
The China-Europe Railway Express is a flagship project and iconic brand of the Belt and Road Initiative. "As of now, the cumulative number of China-Europe Railway Express trips has exceeded 130,000, transporting goods valued at over $520 billion, making it the unceasing 'steel camel caravan' along the Silk Road Economic Belt," Liang said.
Since the official launch of its unified brand in 2016, the China-Europe Railway Express has consistently improved in quality and efficiency, steadily grown in operational scale, continuously optimized its products and services, and deepened international cooperation.
Data shows that the annual number of China-Europe Railway Express trips increased from 1,702 in 2016 to 20,022 in 2025, with an average annual growth rate exceeding 30%. As of June this year, the heavy container rate of the China-Europe Railway Express has remained at 100% for 46 consecutive months.
"Facing a complex and volatile international environment, the China-Europe Railway Express has fully leveraged its unique advantages of all-weather operation, large capacity, high timeliness, and green low-carbon features, maintaining safe and stable operations. This has provided crucial support for smoothing the Asia-Europe logistics corridor and ensuring the stability of international industrial and supply chains," Liang said.
As of now, the China-Europe Railway Express reaches 236 cities in 26 European countries, serving as an important bridge for close China-Europe economic and trade exchanges.
Liang noted that since June, as heatwaves have swept across many European countries, demand for air conditioners and other home appliances in the European market has surged, leading to a shortage of Chinese-brand air conditioners locally. "Air conditioner manufacturers such as Midea and Gree have shifted their replenishment channels from sea freight to the China-Europe Railway Express, reducing the transportation cycle from about 40 days to around 15 days, thus building a 'fast track' for China-Europe trade," he said.
The China-Central Asia International Cultural and Tourism Train (Xi'an-Almaty section) has been successfully launched. Spanish red wine, Dutch cheese, and Southeast Asian durians and mangosteens have entered Chinese households' "shopping carts" via the China-Europe Railway Express. The railway has deepened cultural exchanges among countries along the route and enhanced the sense of gain for the people along the way.
Liang pointed out: "The China-Europe Railway Express has gradually explored a development path characterized by consensus-building, win-win cooperation, and vitality, providing strong support for promoting economic and trade exchanges between countries and regions along the route and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation between Asia and Europe, making the Belt and Road Initiative more tangible, perceptible, and accessible."
This year marks the first year of the "15th Five-Year Plan." Liang said that in the next step, the NDRC will work with relevant parties, closely following the national "15th Five-Year Plan" deployment, to continuously strengthen the brand building of the China-Europe Railway Express, steadily enhance its internationalization and marketization levels, consolidate and improve its development resilience, and steer it toward higher quality, better efficiency, and greater safety.
"The China-Europe Railway Express is an important public good benefiting all countries along the route, requiring close cooperation and joint construction from all parties. We welcome more countries and enterprises to actively participate, join hands to create a brighter future for the development of the China-Europe Railway Express, and make new and greater contributions to accelerating economic development and improving people's well-being in countries along the route," Liang said.
