It takes only four years for Huaihua International Land Port to revitalize an inland city through the sea. Beginning with a construction blueprint in September 2021, the land port has now fostered a model of opening up that relies on the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor and the great international land-sea trade corridor, connects the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean, and serves domestic and international economic flows.
On November 9, 2025, Huaihua International Land Port Chamber of Commerce was officially established amidst great anticipation. This is a major effort of Huaihua in serving the overall national strategy and boosting high-standard opening up. It marks a significant step forward for Huaihua, a “hub for opening up” transformed from “inland hinterland”, in creating a new pattern of coordinated regional development. It is also a grand event for Huaihua’s business community to jointly plan for development from a new starting point.
Empowered by the times: The rise of Huaihua International Land Port spurred the establishment of the chamber of commerce
Huaihua is a crucial transportation hub on the border of Hunan, Guizhou, Guangxi, and Chongqing. It is part of the “13+2” inter-provincial consultation and cooperation mechanism of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor and the only ASEAN freight assembly center in Hunan Province.
In recent years, by fully leveraging its geographical advantages, Huaihua has rallied the support of the entire city to accelerate the construction of Huaihua International Land Port, developed the land port into an important strategic platform for central China to contribute to RCEP and engage with ASEAN, and made all-out efforts to promote high-standard opening up.
To date, Huaihua International Land Port has launched 196 international and domestic routes, forming seven international logistics channels that cover 216 ports and stations in 69 countries and regions around the globe. 70% of the goods from the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor have been transported southward to ASEAN by way of Huaihua. The number of train trips has increased from 151 in 2022 to 1,009 in 2024, representing an average annual growth rate of 150%. Specifically, the number of trips of China-Laos freight trains ranked first in central China in 2023 and 2024.
Regarding accelerating the agglomeration of port industries, Huaihua has advanced the integrated development of port, industry and city and developed a “1+N” port industry system with bag & leatherware as the leading industry and green food, modern logistics and other industries as supporting industries. Industrial projects such as the “International City of Bag & Suitcase” Industrial Park, Huaihua Sannong Industrial Park of China Co-op Group, and Smart Cold Chain Digital Logistics Center have been put into operation. A number of leading logistics enterprises, such as SF Express and Yiyatong, have settled in Huaihua. More and more featured products from Huaihua and Hunan, including Qianyang sugar oranges, Xinhuang beef, and Jingzhou Poria cocos, have been introduced to the world through the land port at a faster pace. In 2024, the total output value of the port area reached RMB96.1 billion, an increase of 48% compared with 2020.
Smooth channels and industrial agglomeration necessitate a professional platform for resource integration. “Instead of going it alone, enterprises must form alliances to seize opportunities in the wave of opening up,” said Pu Yufen, the first chairman of Huaihua International Land Port Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of Huaihua Kaicheng Automobile Sales and Service Co., Ltd. She stated that the establishment of the chamber of commerce is a necessary requirement for following the trend of opening up and development, a key initiative to integrate resources and unite industrial efforts, and a common choice for enterprises to actively align with national strategies, share development results, and create a better future together. The chamber of commerce will better empower Huaihua International Land Port to serve the nation, integrate into ASEAN, and connect with the world.
Wu Qingchun, Chairman of Huaihua Municipal Federation of Industry and Commerce (also Chairman of Huaihua Chamber of Commerce), stated that Huaihua International Land Port Chamber of Commerce has gone from initiative launch in April this year to careful preparation, membership development, and structure improvement, and finally to formal establishment. The entire process was efficient, standardized, and orderly, fully demonstrating the cohesion and execution of initiating units and member enterprises.
Platform synergy: Building a government-enterprise bridge, industrial chains, and a service network
At the founding assembly, over one hundred representatives from member enterprises across logistics, trade, manufacturing, and finance gathered to witness this industry event.
It is reported that Huaihua International Land Port Chamber of Commerce aims to unite member efforts, integrate high-quality resources, boost the development of the land port, and serve opening up. It will focus on building a crucial bridge and platform that connect the government, facilitate internal and external communication, provide opinions and suggestions, and serve the industry.
The chamber of commerce will help pool wisdom and strength. It will fully leverage its role as bridges, facilitate communication between higher and lower levels, and actively report industry demands and corporate concerns. It will also strengthen the horizontal connection among member units, promote information sharing and resource sharing, and reinforce complementarity, to forge a mighty force for collaborative overseas development and coordinated development.
The chamber of commerce will empower development. In light of the functional positioning of Huaihua International Land Port and the actual needs of member enterprises, it will promote the deep integration of logistics, trade, manufacturing, finance and other industries and build a diversified and professional service platform. It will also actively organize and carry out such activities as business training, market expansion, project coordination, and risk prevention to help enterprises improve their international operation capabilities and core competitiveness and solve their pain points and difficulties in development.
The chamber of commerce will help boost openness and cooperation. It will actively connect with the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor and international logistics channels and deepen exchanges and cooperation with countries and regions along the corridor and the channels as well as important domestic node cities. With focus on advantageous industries such as bag & leatherware, green food, cold chain logistics, and cross-border e-commerce, it will organize member enterprises to participate in various domestic and international trade fairs and fairs to help them open up a broader market. It will also strengthen ties with relevant domestic and international chambers of commerce, associations and economic and trade institutions, build a broad cooperation network, and enhance the influence and attractiveness of Huaihua International Land Port and its chamber of commerce.
The chamber of commerce will set an example for standardized operation. It will establish and improve its internal governance structure and various rules and regulations, operate in strict accordance with laws and regulations, and ensure standardized operation, sound management, openness and transparency. It will also guide member enterprises to operate legally, exercise self-discipline and self-reliance, actively fulfill social responsibilities, jointly maintain a fair and competitive market environment, and build a positive overall image for Huaihua’s business community.
A promising future: Growing together with Huaihua International Land Port and ensuring alignment with the strategy of opening up
“The founding of the chamber of commerce is a new starting point for the development of Huaihua International Land Port, and even more so, a new opportunity for enterprises to contribute to the opening up of the inland region,” said Wu Lixin, Vice Chairman of Huaihua International Land Port Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of Hunan Senmao Luggage Manufacturing Co., Ltd. He added that the chamber of commerce will help break down industry barriers, promote deep industry integration, foster new forms of business and models, and form a new pattern of industrial development characterized by complementary advantages and coordinated development, so as to better introduce Huaihua products to the world.
In recent years, Huaihua Municipal Federation of Industry and Commerce, as a supporting force in the development of private economy and bridges in government-enterprise collaboration, has closely followed the national strategy of building the international land port and focused on promoting healthy growth of the private economy and encouraging those working in this sector to achieve success. The authority has, based on the rule of law, served and organized activities for chambers of commerce, associations, and enterprises, to actively guide them to contribute to the development of Huaihua International Land Port and build consensus on jointly building the land port and sharing opportunities.
Huaihua Municipal Federation of Industry and Commerce hopes that Huaihua International Land Port Chamber of Commerce will strengthen policy promotion and information and experience sharing, promote business collaboration and resource integration among member enterprises, secure further headway in promoting regional cooperation and improving the service level of the land port, become a “shining brand” showcasing Huaihua’s business environment, and contribute to Huaihua’s high-quality economic and social development.
Qiu Lin, Deputy Head of the United Front Work Department of CPC Huaihua Municipal Committee and Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group of Huaihua Municipal Federation of Industry and Commerce, stated that the federation will closely follow the goals of land port development, deepen service innovation, unite government and enterprise efforts, support the establishment and development of Huaihua International Land Port Chamber of Commerce, and strive to create favorable conditions for the chamber of commerce to play its role. It will enable more private enterprises to take advantage of the momentum of the land port to go global and jointly write a new chapter in the leapfrog development of Huaihua’s open economy.
The tide is high, and the time has come. The founding of Huaihua International Land Port Chamber of Commerce has injected strong cohesiveness into Huaihua, an open and promising land.
Based on a new starting point for development, under the strong leadership of CPC Huaihua Municipal Committee and the People’s Government of Huaihua City, with the strong support of all sectors of society, and with the joint efforts of the leadership and all members of Huaihua International Land Port Chamber of Commerce, the chamber of commerce is working together with all member enterprises to seize historic opportunities and make industry history through unity and cooperation, so as to make Huaihua International Land Port shine even brighter on the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor and facilitate the opening up of the inland region!
（Translated by Professor Yu Jie）