(ECNS) -- A ceremony was held in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province on Wednesday to mark the successful launch of the first China-Europe freight train from Istanbul, Turkey.
The freight train arrived at Xi'an on Dec. 19, traveling 8,693 kilometers after leaving Istanbul on Dec. 4.
It is the first China-Europe train to leave Turkey loaded with exports since November 2019.
It was loaded with 1,383 refrigerators in 42 containers.
"Most of our imports depended on sea transportation in the past. It used to take about 40 days. It took this train about 13 days, saving much time," said Sun Meng, the freight train personnel.
"The freight train was influenced much less by the weather. It's a guarantee for our shipment," he added.
The event marks the revival of historical ties between Turkey and China.
