A train departure from Alashankou Railway Station in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Monday has marked the 5,000th China-Europe (Central Asia) freight train passing through the key land port this year.
Bound for Malaszewicze, Poland, the train is loaded with auto parts, electronic products, and daily necessities produced in China.
Alashankou Station has also made significant progress in accommodating international trains of various track guages, especially with the launch of the double-tracking project on the Jinghe-Alashankou section of the Lanzhou-Urumqi High Speed Railway.
Since the project became operational last year, the station's standard-gauge receiving capacity has increased by 15 percent, and its broad-gauge capacity has risen by 30 percent.
In early July, the station converted a loading line into a bulk cargo operation line, adding a daily handling capacity of 7,700 tons and ensuring faster loading and unloading of import and export goods.
Currently, Alashankou Station facilitates 125 distinct China-Europe (Central Asia) freight train routes, connecting 21 countries including Germany and Poland. The range of goods transported has also expanded to more than 200 categories, covering automobiles and parts, mechanical equipment, daily necessities, timber, and many other products.
China-Europe freight train service via Alashankou Port surpasses 5,000 trips this year
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
