Kazakhstan Xi'an Terminal to facilitate intl trade

The inauguration ceremony of theKazakhstan Xi'an Terminalfor freight, located in the Xi'an Guogang Railway Station, was held simultaneously via video link in the cities of Astana, Kazakhstan, and Xi'an, China, on Feb 28.

Following its inauguration, this joint venture is set to contribute to the establishment of an efficient logistics corridor that fosters deeper cooperation between China and Kazakhstan under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

After the inauguration ceremony was completed, the Kazakhstan Xi'an Terminal officially commenced operation and began loading a China-Europe freight train (Xi'an). Laden with daily commodities, machinery, and new energy vehicles, the train set off westward towards the Caspian Sea, and is expected to arrive in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 11 days.

"Economic and trade interactions between Kazakhstan and China are strong. Xi'an, as the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, holds significant geographical and logistical advantages," stated Yerlan Koishibayev, deputy chairman of Kazakhstan railway company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy.

"The Kazakhstan Xi'an Terminal not only ensures the consolidation and distribution of goods between the two countries, but also provides high-quality services for import, export, and transit goods, which will facilitate logistics and trade with multiple European countries," stated Koishibayev.

As one of the significant cooperative achievements of the China-Central Asia Summit, the Kazakhstan Xi'an Terminal covers an area of approximately 100 mu (6.67 hectares). It mainly comprises warehouses, container stacking areas, and a container handling area that is connected to the Xi'an Guogang Railway Station.

By leveraging the China-Europe freight trains (Xi'an), the terminal will promote the rapid consolidation, distribution, and allocation of Chinese imports and exports, thus establishing a commercial and logistics distribution center in China for Kazakhstan.