A logistics terminal jointly built by China and Kazakhstan began operation in China's eastern port of Lianyungang in 2014. CGTN's Hu Nan visited the terminal to see how it's boosted imports and exports of countries along the New Eurasia Continental Bridge.
With an annual handling capacity of 410,000 containers, the logistics terminal mainly runs cross-boundary trans-shipment and warehouse businesses.
Two express trains and over a dozen regular trains depart from the terminal each week, carrying such goods as electronic products, auto parts, daily necessities, and medical supplies from southern parts of China, Southeast Asia, Japan, and South Korea.
Lianyungang Port at the eastern end of the New Eurasian Land Bridge is seen as a platform for goods from central Asian countries to be brought overseas, as well as a boost to the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt.
The terminal, with a total investment of over 600 million yuan by the Chinese city of Lianyungang and Kazakhstan's national railway company, has a container yard spanning 220,000 square meters. The second phase of the terminal, with an investment of about 400 million yuan, includes a grain berth and silos. Two trains will leave the Kazakh city of Almaty for Lianyungang each week carrying alloy, fertilizer and wheat.
"The transport capacity was greatly wasted when the outbound trains were mostly empty in the first two years of our operation," said Liu Bin, General Manager of China-Kazakhstan Logistics International. "Then we did a lot of research and decided to help Kazakhstan export wheat to Southeastern Asian countries, where wheat is not grown as much as rice, yet the bakery industry is booming. So now, we perform as carriers to deliver the goods, as well as agents to develop the market, too. This move is greatly welcomed by the Kazakhstan side."
