Customs in Lanzhou, the capital city of northwest China's Gansu Province, have significantly enhanced cross-border trade efficiency by streamlining customs clearance procedures and introducing the JSQ freight train, a special locomotive model dedicated to the transportation of automobiles.
Unlike traditional container trains, exported vehicles can drive directly into the JSQ carriages without the need for racks. Each carriage can accommodate 10 vehicles, leading to a 50 percent increase in overall transport capacity.
Cross-border train transit efficiency is further boosted by programs that promote faster customs clearance.
"Lanzhou Customs has established a 'green channel,' enabling export goods to be loaded onto trains in just two hours after arrival, significantly shortening the customs clearance time. Since the first JSQ train was launched in October 2024, a total of 41 JSQ trains have been dispatched, transporting 11,407 exported vehicles with a value of 1.239 billion yuan (about 170 million U.S. dollars)," said Wang Hongliang, chief of Jincheng Customs under Lanzhou Customs.
Lanzhou has also strengthened its air freight network by launching international cargo flight routes connecting the city with Moscow, Russia and Almaty, Kazakhstan.
In 2024, the cargo throughput at Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport reached 4,864.5 tons, with the total value of imports and exports amounting to 1.4 billion yuan (about 190 million U.S. dollars), marking year-on-year increases of 100 percent and 69 percent respectively.
Lanzhou customs streamlines procedures, introduces automobile-moving trains
South China's Guangdong Province is promoting bird-friendly netting in agricultural fields to protect migratory birds while safeguarding farmers' livelihoods.
Since the beginning of this month, nearly 130,000 migratory birds have arrived in Guangdong, using the region's farmlands, orchards, and fishponds as natural feeding grounds.
This has led to significant crop damage for local farmers.
"Sometimes, over 100 birds descend on our fields. They completely ruin the vegetable leaves, making them unfit for human consumption," said Zhong Jinchuan, a farmer from Huidong County in the province's Huizhou City.
As it is the peak season for winter vegetable planting, many farmers have erected simple anti-bird netting in their fields to protect their crops. However, these nets often pose serious risks to wildlife.
"Once erected, birds could only see the poles. The netting itself isn't always easily visible. If birds fly into it, their claws, feathers, and beaks can become entangled, causing them serious injury," said Li Yi, an official with the Forestry Bureau of Huizhou City.
Recognizing the challenge, local authorities have replaced these harmful nets with safe, bird-friendly alternatives. These new nets feature thicker cords and smaller mesh sizes, which deter birds without trapping them.
"This net uses thicker cords and has smaller mesh openings, so when birds hit it, their feet don't get caught. They just bounce off and fly away. Our vegetables stay safe, and the birds aren't harmed either," said Zhong.
Guangdong has also introduced policies to compensate farmers for crop losses caused by protected wildlife, including migratory birds.
Guangdong promotes bird-friendly netting to protect migratory birds, farm fields
