Cargo trains linking East China, Central Asia, see rise in exports

Cargo trains departing eastern Chinese city of Xiamen, located in the Fujian Free Trade Zone (FTZ), saw rise in exports to Central Asia in the first nine months of this year, local authorities said on Oct 27.

During the period, cargo trains carried a total of 1,539 containers, an increase of nearly 95 percent year-on-year, according to the Xiamen Inspection and Quarantine Bureau.

Chinese goods worth $43 million, a year-on-year increase of nearly 190 percent, have been exported to the region along the route.

The exports include electronics, clothing and textiles, food, as well as automobile parts. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are the two major importers.

The direct cargo train line, opened in 2015, is the only one linking a Chinese FTZ with Central Asia.