Guangzhou launches China's first rail-air freight service to Europe

China on Friday launched its first rail-air freight service to Europe, marking a strategic shift in cross-continental logistics by merging rail efficiency with airspeed to meet booming e-commerce demands.

The inaugural train, carrying small appliances, daily chemicals, apparel, and other e-commerce goods, departed from the Guangzhou International Port in the Greater Bay Area. It is expected to arrive at Sanping Railway Station in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region within 66 hours.

After reaching Sanping Railway Station, the cargo will be transferred to Urumqi Airport for swift airfreight to European destinations. This approach completes the journey in under a week, two-thirds faster than traditional all-rail routes, which typically takes 15 to 20 days.

By bypassing road-related bottlenecks such as congestion, accident risks, and frequent cargo handling, the streamlined process reduces damage risks and stabilizes supply chains for time-sensitive e-commerce sectors. This innovative corridor aligns with China's Belt and Road Initiative, expanding its "Air Silk Road" to strengthen trade links with Europe.

Leveraging Xinjiang's position as a Eurasian logistics hub, the route aims to enhance supply chain resilience for cross-border e-commerce goods.

The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, strengthened 20 pips to 7.0108 against the U.S. dollar Monday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System.

In China's spot foreign exchange market, the yuan is allowed to rise or fall by 2 percent from the central parity rate each trading day.

The central parity rate of the yuan against the U.S. dollar is based on a weighted average of prices offered by market makers before the opening of the interbank market each business day.