On September 30th, Finance Associated Press (Reporter Guo Songqiao) Over two thousand years ago, Zhang Qian set off from Chang'an, opening up the Silk Road that traverses east and west, connecting Europe and Asia. Today, under the impetus of the Belt and Road Initiative, the ancient Silk Road has rejuvenated with new vitality, and the China-Europe Freight Train, as a 'steel camel team' connecting Asia and Europe, has not only witnessed the prosperity and development of international trade but also become an important force driving global economic integration.

To further provide intellectual support for the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, the Eurasian Economic Forum Think Tank Meeting organized by the Secretariat of the Eurasian Economic Forum was held in Xi'an recently. Multiple experts and scholars discussed the future development of the Eurasian Economic Forum and envisioned the framework for the 2025 Eurasian Economic Forum. During the meeting, the impact of the Belt and Road Initiative and China-Europe Freight Train on the economy of Xi'an was also a hot topic of discussion.

Data shows that since the operation of the China-Europe Freight Train (Xi'an), it accounts for about a quarter of the total cumulative operation volume of China-Europe Freight Trains in the country, with key indicators such as operation volume, freight volume, and full container load rate ranking first in the country.

During the meeting, Feng Zongxian, Director of Xi'an Jiaotong University's Belt and Road and Global Development Research Institute, introduced the global trade and operation index of the China-Europe Freight Train. Around the economic and industrial impact of the China-Europe Freight Train on Xi'an, Finance Associated Press journalists interviewed Feng Zongxian.

The following is the interview transcript:

Finance Associated Press: In the first half of 2024, Xi'an's import and export trade with countries along the Belt and Road Initiative grew rapidly, increasing by 20% year-on-year. How do you view the opportunities for Xi'an going forward?

Feng Zongxian: Xi'an is the starting point of the ancient Silk Road and plays a very important role in the development, opening up, and growth of the Northwest. In addition, as the 'bridgehead' of the new pattern of Western Development and the forefront of the new phase of Western Development, Xi'an is also a core city of the Belt and Road Initiative. Currently, among the six economic corridors proposed under the Belt and Road Initiative, the China-Europe Freight Train has the most extensive operation and the best performance, particularly in the New Eurasian Land Bridge Economic Corridor.

From the big picture, Xi'an is still a national central city and an international metropolis known for its historical and cultural heritage. Its technology and education strength is relatively strong, and the country also pays more attention to the development of Xi'an, providing policy support.

Compared to coastal areas, inland regions, being not coastal or bordering, have long been regarded as the 'peripheral' open areas. However, in the co-construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, inland regions are more conducive to open land trade. As a core city of the Belt and Road Initiative and a developing national central city, Xi'an takes a different path, prioritizing road construction, promoting connectivity, creating inland ports, establishing hubs, forming gateways, and linking the New Eurasian Land Bridge Economic Corridor.

In terms of aviation, Xi'an Xianyang International Airport has become the largest international air transportation hub in the northwest region, with the T5 terminal building of the third expansion project expected to be put into use soon. It is also accelerating the alignment of a major European city with China's inland cities through aviation hubs. In addition, the China-Europe freight train (Xi'an) has accumulated over 3,000 trains since the beginning of this year. The Chanba International Port is also expanding to connect with inland ports in Kazakhstan, forming connections between China's inland regions and Central Asia by land. These connections not only highlight Xi'an's strong vitality as an inland open highland, but also reflect the increasingly close economic and trade relations and mutually beneficial cooperation prospects between China and Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and Europe.

In terms of its geographical location, Xi'an bridges the east and west, connects the north and south. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the Baohai Railway from Baotou to Haikou, passing through Xi'an, will also be an important economic corridor for Xi'an in the future.

Cailian News: Since 2024, the China-Europe freight train (Xi'an) has accumulated over 3,000 trains. How do you view the impact of the China-Europe freight train on Xi'an's economy and industry?

Feng Zongxian: Since its launch in 2013, the China-Europe freight train (Xi'an) has gone from nothing to something. This 'steel camel team' has become a true reflection of the development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Firstly, in terms of transportation channels, Xi'an, as an inland city, mainly relied on marine transportation for trade and had a relatively small transport volume in the past. After the reform and opening-up, Xi'an started building airports, highways, and continuously upgrading railways. Until the opening of the China-Europe freight train, the entire city's transportation channels have continued to expand.

Regarding the mode of transportation, after the opening of the China-Europe freight train, rail transportation has strong advantages compared to aviation, highway, and marine transportation. Compared to air transportation, rail transportation is relatively cheaper; compared to highway transportation, rail transportation carries larger volumes; compared to marine transportation, rail transportation is faster. Today, the China-Europe freight train (Xi'an) plays a crucial role in transporting automobiles, equipment, and cold chain logistics, opening up pathways for cross-border e-commerce development, providing a high-quality carrier for various related industries' development, and promoting industrial agglomeration.

In terms of international communication, the opening of the China-Europe Railway Express (Xi'an) has made our trade relations with neighboring countries even closer. For example, with Central Asia and Southeast Asia, through connectivity, the region can obtain energy such as oil and natural gas from Southeast Asia, while China can also provide convenience in terms of new energy to the Southeast Asian region, such as new energy vehicles, photovoltaics, which is extremely beneficial for the industrial development in Southeast Asia.

Feng Zongxian: Firstly, we need to accelerate the formation and enlargement of Xi'an's international transportation hub position, build Xi'an into a strategic gathering and distribution center connecting east and west, north and south. Through interactions between land and sea ports, a pattern of internal and external linkage, mutual help in east and west directions can be formed, ensuring Xi'an occupies a more important position in integrating into the new development pattern, and promotes the Belt and Road Initiative for long-term stability.

Feng Zongxian: Firstly, we need to accelerate the formation and enlargement of Xi'an's international transportation hub position, build Xi'an into a strategic gathering and distribution center... of new trade rules such as CPTPP and DEPA, fully implement the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) and other regional trade rules, explore the coordination pathways between the "Free Trade Zone Enhancement Strategy" and the "Global Network of High-standard Free Trade Zones." Focus on key industries, deepen linkage with the global industry chain, supply chain, and value chain... trade, service trade, intellectual property rights, government procurement fields, deepen stress tests, focus on digital trade, offshore trade, bonded trade and other new formats for innovative exploration...

Feng Zongxian: Secondly, we need to actively benchmark new international trade rules such as CPTPP and DEPA, fully implement the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) and other regional trade rules, explore the coordination pathways between the "Free Trade Zone Enhancement Strategy" and the "Global Network of High-standard Free Trade Zones." Focus on key industries, deepen linkage with the global industry chain, supply chain, and value chain...

Feng Zongxian: Thirdly, we need to further optimize and enhance the coordinated resource allocation efficiency of the Shaanxi Pilot Free Trade Zone. The Xi'an area of the Shaanxi Pilot Free Trade Zone should further focus on the effectiveness of collaborative innovation and cooperative development, drive coordinated development with other cities in the province, promote division of labor and cooperation among the Xi'an Pilot Free Trade Zone, Hong Kong and Macao, coastal free trade zones, the New Asia-Europe Continental Bridge, Yellow River Basin and other regional free trade zone areas, radiating and driving the open development of western provinces and cities.