China-Europe Railway Express supplements shipping routes, delivers benefits: analysts

The China-Europe Railway Express has supplemented traditional shipping routes and delivered tangible benefits to countries along the lines in the last 10 years, according to official data and analysts.

The express has grown into one of the most active land-based trade routes over the past decade, connecting China with 236 cities in 26 European countries, with annual trips increasing by 10.8 times.

In an effort to boost Belt and Road cooperation, in June 2016, previously scattered cross-border rail services between various Chinese cities and Europe were consolidated under a single brand: the China-Europe Railway Express.

By May 9, 2026, the express had made 130,000 trips, with its total cargo value exceeding 520 billion U.S. dollars.

Chinese home appliances and new energy vehicles are shipped by rail to overseas markets, while European precision equipment and agricultural products are brought into China -- along with minerals and grain from Central Asia.

This two-way flow of goods is creating stronger links between producers and consumers and deepening trade and industrial cooperation across Eurasia.

"European countries have also benefited significantly from the China-Europe Railway Express, which was pioneered by China. China can produce many affordable and high-quality goods, and other countries can benefit from this," said Duan Demin, deputy dean of the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences at Peking University.

With wide coverage, reliable schedules and relatively few external disruptions, the China-Europe Railway Express offers businesses an alternative option to traditional shipping routes.

"Whenever maritime routes between Asia and Europe are disrupted, or international supply chains come under pressure, the China-Europe Railway Express emerges as an important transport solution for domestic and overseas enterprises. Furthermore, the China-Europe Railway Express has successfully opened new routes, such as trans-Caspian international transport via Türkiye into Europe," said Liang Linchong, director general of the Department of Regional Opening-up at the National Development and Reform Commission.

China-Europe Railway Express supplements shipping routes, delivers benefits: analysts

Chinese Premier Li Qiang urged solid efforts to accomplish the objectives and tasks for this year's economic and social development to make a good start in implementing the 15th Five-Year Plan while presiding over a plenary meeting of the State Council in Beijing on Monday.

Li said that since the beginning of this year, China's economy has registered steady growth featuring new momentums and structural improvement.

In the face of problems such as insufficient domestic demand and growing difficulties in some industries and enterprises, Li called for a focus on development goals to continuously push for innovation-driven and high-quality economic development by leveraging existing policies and rolling out new practical and effective policies in a timely manner.

Noting that this year marks the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030), Li emphasized the need to give full play to the plan's guiding role in all areas, urging efforts to maintain steady economic operation and expand domestic demand.

Efforts should be strengthened to advance the construction of water networks, new-type power grids, computing power networks, next-generation communication networks, urban underground pipeline networks and logistics networks, and innovate investment and financing mechanisms to attract social capital, Li said.

Li called for efforts to stabilize external demand and expand the space for mutually beneficial international cooperation in trade and economy.

It is imperative to leverage science and technology to accelerate transition from old to new growth drivers, increase support for emerging pillar industries and future industries, continuously promote the upgrading of traditional industries, and consolidate the foundation for the real economy, Li said.

Li also stressed doing a good job in ensuring and improving people's livelihood, boosting employment, increasing people's incomes, improving public services, carrying out disaster relief, and preventing the resurgence of poverty.

Chinese premier urges efforts to accomplish economic objectives, tasks