GBA's trade with Central Asia rises

A freight train loaded with air conditioners, refrigerators, kitchen and other electrical appliances pulled out of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, and is headed to Uzbekistan, in a boost to China’s economic and trade cooperation with Central Asian countries following the in-depth implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative.

The train is expected to reach Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan, in 12 days after it completes the 6,700-kilometer journey.

As an important production base for advanced manufacturing industries, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) has seen steady growth in trade volume with Central Asian countries, as products made in the GBA have been favored by consumers from the Central Asian nations, Guangzhou Customs said.

Chen Shaofeng, director of Logistics Train Operation Division of Guangdong GW International Logistics Development Ltd, said the home appliances, automobiles and related electromechanical products manufactured in Guangdong have strong competitiveness in Central Asia, with high export demand and a large single export volume.

“The China-Central Asia freight train service has now become an important channel to promote the circulation of goods and trade between GBA and the Central Asian countries,” Chen said.

The first China-Central Asian freight train in GBA departs in July, 2023. File photo

To ensure the smooth operation of freight train services between GBA and the Central Asian nations, Guangzhou Customs has introduced convenient measures such as “online appointment clearance,” “multimodal transportation transfer” and “fast clearance” of railways to fully leverage the advantages of efficient, convenient and safe railway transportation.

In the first half of this year, exports of mechanical and electrical products Guangzhou railway station Customs departments supervised to the five Central Asian countries mainly included air conditioners, kitchen appliances and TV sets.

Customs statistics revealed Guangzhou Customs supervised a total of 130 million yuan (US$17.93 million) worth of commodity exports through the China-Central Asia freight train services to the five Central Asian countries in the first half of the year, a year-on-year increase of 61.4%. (China Daily)