North China resumes cargo train to Europe and Central Asia
Due to the coronavirus outbreak, reduced traffic and close of borders, the world rating agencies are pushed to reconsider their regional and global economic forecasts for a fall. This is understandable as the decrease in cargo and passenger traffic is the first evidence of the crisis phenomena associated with the spread of COVID-19.
However, even the coronavirus cannot cancel the economy. Moreover, a well-functioning economy is the main guarantee of a future victory over COVID-19. As they said in old times, War is just war, but lunch is on a schedule. In this regard, in a series of reports on quarantine measures taken by one or another country due to the coronavirus outbreak, there are some positive news as well. A train loaded with 660 tonnes of cargo left the city of Shijiazhuang, north China’s Hebei Province, and headed for Uzbekistan, which indicates the resumption of freight transportation from this city to Europe and Central Asia, Chinese People’s Daily reports.
It is the first cargo train that left Hebei Province as part of China-Europe and China-Central Asia railroad freight activity amid the novel coronavirus epidemic. In total, the 42 containers of goods with a total value of around 30 million yuan will be delivered to Central Asia. The cargo train includes auto parts, mechanical equipment, steel pipes, building materials and other commodities produced in cities of Hebei Province.
The resumption of freight trains provided strong support for the resumption of production and operation for trade enterprises in the province. The report says that starting from March of this year, Hebei will launch more freight trains within China-Europe and China-Central Asia railroad freight activity to provide free logistics channel for international freight traffic along the Belt and Road and to support the growth of foreign trade.