A China-Europe freight train departs Yiwu on Jan 29. [Photo/Tide News]
As an international land port hub, Jinhua in Zhejiang province was bustling with activity this Spring Festival.
This year marked the 11th consecutive Spring Festival without pause for the Zhejiang China-Europe freight trains. In January alone, 306 trains operated, carrying 25,536 twenty-foot equivalent units of goods, representing a 6.6 percent increase year-on-year.
In December, the State Council approved the overall plan for deepening comprehensive international trade reforms in Yiwu — a county-level city in Jinhua — signaling a new chapter for Jinhua to accelerate its global trade endeavors and foster further development opportunities.
Jinhua has long been known for its prowess in exports. In 2024, the city's exports hit a record 771.92 billion yuan ($106.01 billion), surging 16.4 percent and representing 19.8 percent of the province's total exports.
To adapt to the evolving international trade landscape, last year Jinhua swiftly implemented its first pilot project for innovative import trade development.
This initiative significantly enhanced the efficiency of testing and certifying three categories of imported goods, resulting in a 75 percent efficiency boost and a 15-30 percent cost reduction.
In 2024, the China-Europe freight train service expanded to 25 routes, running 2,619 trains, an increase of 10 percent. It now reaches more than 160 cities in over 50 countries, with over 100 overseas stops.
Furthermore, Jinhua is enhancing its sea-rail intermodal transportation. It has promoted the integrated development of shipping, customs, and port affairs and streamlined export processes.
Jinhua also launched new sea-rail routes from Yiwu and Yongkang to Wenzhou Port and new container routes from Lanxi and Wucheng to Jiaxing Zhapu Port, supporting the revival of inland waterways transportation.
