At 9am on June 8 local time, co-sponsored by General Office of Chinese People’s Political and Consultative Conference Shaanxi Committee, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Shaanxi Branch and Xi’an International Trade and Logistics Park Administrative Committee, co-organized by Xi’an International Land Port Group and Finland’s Kouvola Reform Group, the promotion conference of China Railway Express to Europe “Chang’an Train” of Xi’an International Trade and Logistics Park (Xi’an Port) was held in Helsinki, Finland, which was attended by representatives of international renowned businesses of logistics, trade, processing and manufacturing from Finland, Sweden, Norway, Kazakhstan to be informed about the operation and development of Xi’an Port and the China Railway Express to Europe and to seek opportunities for cooperation in international trade and logistics.
Present also at the conference were other VIPs such as Han Yong, Chairman of CPPCC Shaanxi Committee, Jari Lindstrom, Minister of Employment of Finland, Mary Toca, Mayor of Kouvola, Murate Nutev, Kazakhstani Ambassador in Finland, Sun Liwei, Chinese Commercial Counselor in Finland, Yan Chaoying, Secretary General of CPPCC Shaanxi Committee, Xue Hua, President of CCPIT Shaanxi Branch, Mardi Huso, Chairman of Koulova Reform Group, Simon Parkmanon, Development Director of Koulova Reform Group, which was presided over by Li Pingwei, Deputy Secretary of CPC Xi’an International Trade and Logistics Park Working Committee.
Located in northern Europe, with the highest forest coverage in Europe and second in the world, Finland is the second largest exporter of paper and paper board and the fourth largest paper pulp in the world. Helsinki is the capital and the largest city of the country, it is also the largest port in Finland and serves as the economic, political, cultural, tourism and transport centers of the country, as well as a metropolis with world fame.
In his address, Han Yong briefed the guests on the history, culture, transport, geographical location of Shaanxi. He said that with the deepening of the “Belt and Road Initiative”, Shaanxi is committed to building the center of international transport and trade, the center of science and technology and innovation, to achieve the coordination of sea and land transport at home and abroad and the mutual support of east and west economies; that Shaanxi boasts the largest inland port in China-Xi’an Port, is the only free trade pilot zone in northwest China, has trade and business intercourses with some 190 countries and regions, becoming the hot spot of investment in China and even in the world.
Han Yong added that with the launch of the Xi’an to Kouvola trains of China Railway Express to Europe, solid foundation has been laid for closer economic and trade relations and people-to-people exchanges; that June 5 this year marks the 10th anniversary of establishment of Xi’an Port and over the past decade Xi’an Port and the railway express to Europe have become the important player of implementing the “Belt and Road Initiative” and the major force in promoting the building of “pivotal economy, portal economy and mobile economy” of Shaanxi; that with this conference cooperation of international logistics, trade and capacity will hopefully be reinforced and people-to-people, cultural and historical exchanges promoted; and that friends of Finland can take advantage of “Chang’an” and the location of Xi’an Port to share the historical opportunity of the Silk Road.
Mary Toca, Mayor of Kouvola said that the direct flight of Xi’an to Finland and the railway express between Xi’an and Kouvola have constituted the shortest air and land travel route between China and the EU; that along with the weekly return service the China railway express to Europe, both Kouvola and Xi’an have come up with a new concept—North Eurasian Continent Development Platform, which will provide a competitive logistic chain based on the transport network between Kouvola and Xi’an for large manufacturing and trading companies in Northern Europe and China; that Xi’an and Kouvola will build a supply and distribution center, a manufacturing center and a data center for unlimited development; and that the complementary trade of China and Finland will create more opportunities. She also wished an immediate success to the development platform.
Mardi Huso, Chairman of Kouvola Reform Group said that as a key railway hub in Finland, Kouvola has an annual handling capacity of 2 million tons; that they will provide a brand new container loading area for the 1,100 meter long China railway express to Europe to increase the operation efficiency; and that the group will also provide “single window” service to international trade.
At the promotion conference, Xi’an International Land Port Group introduced the building and development of the first inland port of China in four aspects, i.e., Xi’an Port, Xi’an International Land Port Group, opening up platform and port, and China railway express to Europe (Chang’an)
On November 10, 2017, Xi’an International Land Port Group and Kouvola Reform Group cooperated to open the first and only China railway express to Northern Europe—the cargo express from Xi’an to Kouvola, which travel a distance of 9,110 km through four countries, namely, Finland, Russia, Kazakhstan and China for about 12 days, one third of the time ocean shipping takes. So far the express has run 18 trips, with 10 outgoing and 8 incoming, covering cargoes such as machinery, paper making equipment, components of elevator, gardening and light industrial products, etc. The number of trips has been increased from the original one trip per month to the current one trip per week.
At the promotion conference, Xi’an International Land Port Group and its subsidiary signed cooperation agreements with and Finland’s renowned logistics player--Eliron Logistics, and Finland’s leading international trading company—Suppilog, Norway’s Futurum Business Development Company respectively. According to the agreements, Eliron Logistics will carry non-hazardous chemical products made in Finland to China; the E-commerce subsidiary of Xi’an International Land Port Group and Suppilog will work together to take advantage of bilateral resources in trade and platform to promote international trade and to upgrade and optimize the regional industrial structure for win-win outcome; Xi’an International Land Port Group and Futurum will have in-depth cooperation to have collection and distribution of goods from Scandinavian countries in Kouvola.
The execution of the project will add new momentum to the operation of the China railway express to Europe and further promote the exchanges of trade and cultures between China and Finland. Next, Xi’an International Trade and Logistics Park will receive more partners with opening attitude to extend the resources and the route, build with full force an international logistics passage and an integrated service system of logistics and supply chain in the region, with a view to promoting the economic and trade exchanges and cultural intercourse and the building the “Belt and Road Initiative”.
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