Xi'an, the capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, has handled over 5,000 freight trains bound for Central Asia and Europe in the first 10 months of 2025, data from China State Railway Group Co. showed on Monday.
From January to October, Xi'an saw 5,063 freight train departures, up 16.3 percent year on year.
It marked a same-period record in the number of freight train departures from Xi'an, since the city launched the first China-Europe freight rail service in 2013 as a key part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Of the total departures, 3,917 trains were bound for Europe and 1,146 for Central Asia. The cumulative freight volume reached 5.564 million tonnes, up 12.9 percent year on year, while 505,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers were delivered, marking an increase of 10.5 percent compared with the same period last year.
Xi'an sees over 5,000 Europe-, Central Asia-bound freight trains in Jan-Oct
The Chinese Navy's hospital ship "Silk Road Art" will provide emergency aid to Jamaica after a powerful hurricane lashed the country in the end of October, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Guo Jiakun confirmed on Monday.
"Recently, the Chinese Navy's hospital ship the 'Silk Road Ark' arrived in Jamaica and will dock at multiple ports to provide humanitarian medical services to the Jamaican people affected by Hurricane Melissa. China empathizes deeply with Jamaica over the severe hurricane disaster it has suffered, and has provided emergency disaster relief assistance based on Jamaica's needs," Guo said at a press conference in Beijing in response to a media query.
"We believe that the 'Silk Road Ark' will convey China's friendship to the affected communities in Jamaica, helping to bolster their confidence as they overcome the disaster and rebuild their homes," said the spokesman.
The "Silk Road Ark" arrived at Montego Bay of Jamaica on Thursday for a 12-day visit. At the request of the Jamaican side, the Chinese hospital ship will dock at three ports in Jamaica - Montego Bay, Kingston, and Falmouth - to provide medical services to local residents.
On October 28, Jamaica was struck by a severe storm, which put the local healthcare system under immense pressure. Many patients urgently needing surgery have been waiting for treatment as the island sufferes medical facility damages and resource shortages.
Chinese naval hospital ship offers emergency aid to hurricane-hit Jamaica: spokesman
