First Xiamen-Moscow train sets off for Russia

The first Xiamen-Moscow train pulled out of Haicang Station on the Fujian province coast on Aug 25 and began its maiden 10,000-kilometer trip to Russia.

The train consists of 41 carriages loaded with shoes, accessories for water taps, and diesel engines.

It is Xiamen's first regular two-way international rail service, and is expected to play a big role in further boosting the city's trade with Russia and the other BRICS nations.

Trains will depart from Haicang inside the China (Fujian) Free Trade Zone every 15 days initially, arriving in Vorsino, south of Moscow, 13 days later.

From October, 40-to-50-carriage trains will leave Haicang for Russia every week.

Xiamen will also establish a new logistics center dedicated to processing goods arriving from Russia, according to an official from Xiamen customs bureau.

The new rail connection will further expand Xiamen and the surrounding region's trade with Russia, which is becoming increasingly important to the city's economy, the official added.

Xiamen imported and exported 26.5 billion yuan ($4.1 billion) worth of goods to and from the BRICS countries—Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa—in the first seven months of 2017, a 45.6 percent increase on the same period last year, according to local statistics.

The city's trade with Russia rose even faster during the same period, increasing 53 percent year-on-year to 5.4 billion yuan.

Xiamen customs bureau has taken several measures to make sure the international train enjoyed a smooth start, including sending staff to guide local enterprises on how to make applications, and coordinate shipping bill deliveries and customs transfers with customs officials on China's northern border.

The bureau is also providing a container arrangement service to satisfy the demand of small- and medium-sized enterprises that wish to import and export goods to Russia in limited quantities and multiple batches.

A worker carries goods in the warehouse of the Logistics Center for the Xiamen International Train. [Photo/ Xinhuanet.com]