Zhejiang province's contributions to the China Railway Express are displayed at the second China Railway Express Cooperation Forum. [Photo/jinhua.com.cn]

The second China Railway Express Cooperation Forum, themed "Connecting Asia and Europe for a Shared Future", was held in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, on Nov 18, with Zhejiang participating as the sole guest province of honor. Fifteen innovative development achievements of the Zhejiang China-Europe freight train service submitted by Jinhua were showcased.

The forum featured an exhibition highlighting Zhejiang and Jinhua's contributions in promoting international trade and cultural exchange, showing the Yiwu Railway Port, Yiwu International Trade Market, the first mixed shipment of consumer lithium batteries in the Yangtze River Delta, and the Yiwu International Marathon.

All 15 submissions by Jinhua were selected as achievements at the forum, including innovations in overseas hub layouts, multimodal transport, and the integration of the train service with industry and cultural exchange.

In recent years, Jinhua has been expanding the overseas network for the train service, covering over 50 countries and regions, with more than 100 direct destinations abroad. Five logistics centers have been established in Madrid, Duisburg, Malaszewicze, Moscow, and Tashkent, upgrading the service's operations from "point-to-point" to "hub-to-hub".

The Zhejiang China-Europe freight train service has also focused on enhancing service quality and fostering industrial growth. Specialized trains, such as those for photovoltaic products and auto parts, have been launched, bringing Jinhua-made products overseas.

Over the course of 11 years, the Zhejiang China-Europe freight train service has expanded to 26 routes. This year to date, it has operated over 2,700 trains, a 16 percent increase year-on-year. It is supporting Jinhua's development into an international land port hub and Zhejiang's goal of becoming a province with a high-level open economy.