Goods shipped via China's Silk Road Maritime shipping routes registered a double-digit growth over the first quarter of 2025, according to data released by Xiamen Customs.
The 128 container shipping routes recorded a 17.7 percent year-on-year increase in voyages, while container throughput rose 13.7 percent year on year, according to the data.
The Silk Road Maritime, launched in December 2018, is China's first international comprehensive shipping logistics service platform operating under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The Silk Road Maritime routes are highly favored by foreign trade enterprises.
The Silk Road Maritime enhances trade cooperation by improving port and shipping services, promotes exchanges among BRI partners through trade, and facilitates the alignment of commercial flow, information flow, goods flow, and value flow. Its scale has continuously expanded since its launch.
As of now, a total of 18,731 voyages have been completed along the Silk Road Maritime shipping routes, with a cumulative container throughput exceeding 22.1 million TEUs, reaching 147 ports in 46 countries and regions.
Xiamen Port currently operates 61 Silk Road Maritime routes, having completed 12,342 voyages and handled more than 13.87 million TEUs to date.
To fully leverage the advantages of Silk Road Maritime and assist Chinese enterprises in exploring overseas markets, Xiamen Customs is continuously optimizing clearance processes to upgrade the Silk Road Maritime into a key driver of economic development.
Goods shipped through China's Silk Road Maritime routes register double-digit growth in Q1
Chinese President Xi Jinping awarded Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic the Friendship Medal of the People's Republic of China in Beijing on Monday.
As solemn music played and the golden doors slowly opened, Xi and Vucic entered the hall together, followed by Xi's wife Peng Liyuan and Vucic's wife Tamara Vucic.
Applauding guests rose to their feet, and paid respect to the two heads of state.
A Guard of Honor escorted the Friendship Medal into the hall, and amid solemn music, Xi formally presented the medal to Vucic.
Xi highlighted Vucic's long-standing commitment to advancing China-Serbia friendship and underscored the significance of the honor.
"President Vucic has long stayed committed to China-Serbia friendship, and he has always given China the firmest and clearest support on issues concerning China's core interests and major concerns. He gains the respect from the Chinese people. This medal is not only a high recognition of President Vucic's contributions to bilateral friendship, but also carries the earnest expectations of both peoples for building a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era," Xi said.
The Friendship Medal is China's highest state honor for foreigners, reserved for those who have made outstanding contributions to China's modernization drive, promoting exchange and cooperation between China and the world, and safeguarding world peace.
At the invitation of Xi, Vucic is on a state visit to China from Sunday to Thursday, with this marking his first state visit to China and his ninth trip to the country overall.
Xi awards Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic China's friendship medal
