China starts freight train to London

HONG KONG — China started a freight train to London as part of President Xi Jinping’s efforts to strengthen trade ties with Europe, according to state-owned China Railway.

The train departed Yiwu in eastern Zhejiang province on Jan 1 and will cover more than 12,000km in about 18 days before reaching the British city, China Railway said in a statement on its website on Monday (Jan 2).

The freighter,carrying garments, bags and suitcases among other items, will pass through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, Belgium and France. Xinhua reported the service earlier.

London is the 15th city in Europe to be added to China’s freight train services to the continent as Xi seeks to reinforce commercial links with markets across Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

In 2013, Xi unveiled his so-called Belt-and-Road initiative, making transport lines the centerpiece of his efforts to create a modern Silk Road.

China has initially set aside about US$40 billion (S$58 billion) in a fund to finance roads and railways abroad under the plan, while the nation’s trade with countries along the routes could reach US$2.5 trillion in about a decade, Yao Gang, the then vice chairman of China Securities Regulatory Commission, said in 2015. BLOOMBERG