Yunnan reaches wider and further in Central Asia

The train starts from Kunming and goes to five countries in Central Asia. [Photo by Liu Kaida/Kunming Daily]

Yunnan's first train targeting five countries in Central Asia has been launched in Kunming, capital of the China's southwest province.

Starting from Wangjiaying West Station, the train trip will be a total of 15 days and travel through Khorgos or Alataw Pass in Kazakhstan till it reaches Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, extending a total route of 6,000 kilometers. 

Mainly carrying products of home appliances, mechanic spare parts and construction materials, the train has saved a lot of transportation time from Southwest China to the Central Asia area, thus effectively promoting the philosophy of "going global" for Yunnan-made products.

The train was organized by a Yunnan-based logistics company, which was co-sponsored by Kunming State-owned and Industrial Development Co and Yunnan Energy Investment Logistics Co and provides enterprises with return logistics services from Kunming to Europe and Asia. 

On the base of keeping the normal operation of Sino-Europe Railway Express, the product sources between China and Europe will be further expanded. The normal two-way operation of the Kunming-Central Asia five countries train is expected to be realized next year, according to a spokesperson familiar with the matter. 

In fact, Yunnan has accelerated its pace to have more cooperation and communication with countries and regions along the Belt and Road. On Dec 18, the province saw its first international meter-gage freight train pair operated in Kaiyuan and Haiphong, Vietnam respectively. 

With a load of 496 metric tons of fertilizer, the freight train pair will run on a regular daily base, slashing transportation time by a quarter and costs by 10 percent. 

Yunnan has enhanced its cooperation with Vietnam and the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway has become a core platform and bridge for the communication between the two countries, which will impose a positive effect on Yunnan to develop itself a radiation hub in South and Southeast Asia and facilitate its cooperation with countries and regions along the Belt and Road, said Yuan Guoshu, deputy director of Yunnan Provincial Industry and Information Technology Commission.