At 9:10 am on July 5, 2021, a train full of machinery, equipment, construction materials and other goods slowly departed from the Qingdao Multimodal Transport Center in the Shanghai Demonstration Zone, marking the China-Europe train (Qilu)'s The first train of the "Hebei Express Line" in China's Shanghai Cooperation Demonstration Zone-Dushanbe, Tajikistan, officially opened.

The first shift of the SCO Demonstration Zone-Dushanbe point-to-point train is coordinated and operated by Shandong Hi-Speed Group. It is the eighth "Shanghe Express Line" opened by the SCO Multimodal Transport Center. It is reported that there are a total of 100 TEUs on this train, with a cargo value of approximately US$1.66 million. The export company has completed all declarations, inspections and clearance procedures in advance at Jiaozhou Customs affiliated to Qingdao Customs, and transited and transported to Horgos Port for exit. It is expected to arrive in Dushanbe, Tajikistan in about 15 days.

Liu Jianjun, member of the Standing Committee of Qingdao Municipal Party Committee, Secretary of Jiaozhou Municipal Party Committee, Secretary of the Party Working Committee and Director of the Management Committee of the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Zone, said: "The train has successfully opened up another land trade channel from Shandong to the Belt and Road countries. It will surely become an important support for us and Tajikistan to join hands with Tajikistan to build a new silk road and build a "green channel" for goods. I hope that this will be an opportunity to promote deeper cooperation between the two sides in the fields of logistics, economic and trade cooperation, park construction, cultural and tourism exchanges."

SCO Multimodal Transport Center

At present, the SCO multimodal transport center has opened 20 international and domestic trains, and opened 7 "SCO Express Lines" to Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan and Tashkent in Uzbekistan. In the first half of 2021, a total of 297 Eurasian trains were opened, an increase of 82% year-on-year. Among them, the Central Asia trains were 243, an increase of 57%, accelerating the construction of the SCO countries' "outlets" for the Asia-Pacific market.

Ding Yongmin, deputy general manager of China Railway Jinan Bureau Group Co., Ltd., revealed that in the first half of 2021, there will be 567 outbound Eurasian trains, of which Jiaozhou ranks first in Shandong Province and Jinan Bureau. In the next step, we will continue to strengthen cooperation with local governments and enterprises, and strive to build the "Shanghai Cooperation Express Line" as an efficient, fast, green, environmentally friendly, and market-competitive international trade channel.

Zhang Dong, deputy director of the Eurasian Department of the Ministry of Commerce, said that since the establishment of the multimodal transport center, the number of trains has been increasing year by year, the quality of operation has been rapidly improved, and the brand effect has continued to appear. Played an active role in interconnection. "The first launch of this train marks another step forward in the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative between China and Tajikistan. It is an important milestone for the deepening of bilateral economic and trade cooperation between China and Tajikistan. I hope that the'Shanghai Cooperation Express Line' will depart today. , Crossing the Tianshan Mountains, successfully arrived in Dushanbe, and became the "steel camel team" on the Silk Road Economic Belt and the "friendship train" connecting the people of China and Tajikistan.

Since 2021, the China-Europe Express (Qilu) has been actively developing new business models and new models: piloting the “one-order” business of the China International Freight Forwarders Association’s multimodal bill of lading, and launching special cold chain trains to promote the integration of China-Europe Express and local industries. Made a positive contribution. Shandong Province China-Europe Express (Qilu) has opened a total of 857 trains, an increase of 18.9% year-on-year. Among them, foreign trade import and export trains have opened 655, accounting for 76.4%; the number of inter-city routes has increased to 48, which can directly reach 20 along the Belt and Road. 50 cities in 5 countries. In the next step, the two places will give full play to their respective status as transportation hubs in the Belt and Road Initiative, further expand the supply of goods, optimize routes, build bridges for business cooperation between the Shanghai Cooperation Demonstration Zone and Dushanbe, China and Tajikistan, and help the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative. Continuously improve the comprehensive service capabilities of China-Europe freight trains, provide an international logistics channel guarantee to help Shandong Province accelerate the development of new formats and new models of foreign trade, and celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the party with practical actions and excellent results. Editor/Tian Zengpeng