On November 7th, 2025, it was announced at the Huaihua special session of the Hunan “14th Five-Year Plan” Report series of themed press conferences that during the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, Huaihua focused on the important strategic goal of building a highland for reform and opening up in inland areas. Using the construction of the Huaihua International Land Port as an engine, Huaihua made all-out efforts to promote high-standard opening up. The city’s total import and export volume surged from 1.45 billion RMB in 2020 to 13.76 billion RMB in 2024, an eightfold increase. Its foreign trade growth rate has led the province for three consecutive years, marking Huaihua’s rapid entry into the fast lane of open cooperation.
Open Channels in Huaihua Accelerate Their Formation. To date, the Huaihua International Land Port has launched 196 international and domestic routes, forming 7 major international logistics arteries. It radiates to 216 ports and stations in 69 countries and regions globally. Seventy percent of the cargo on the New Western Land-Sea Corridor passes through Huaihua southbound to ASEAN. The number of train trips increased from 151 in 2022 to 1,009 in 2024, with an average annual growth rate of 150%. Among these, the China-Laos railway express service ranked first in Central China for two consecutive years (2023-2024), accelerating the formation of a new open pattern characterized by “relying on dual channels, connecting two oceans, and serving dual circulations.”
Port-proximate Industries in Huaihua Rapidly Cluster. Deepening the integrated development of the port, industries, and the city, a “1+N” port-proximate industrial system, led by the luggage and leather goods industry and supported by diverse industries such as green food and modern logistics, has taken strong shape. Industrial projects like the “International Luggage Capital” industrial park, the China Supply and Marketing Cooperatives—Huaihua “Agriculture, Rural Areas and Farmers” Industrial Park, and the Smart Cold Chain Digital Logistics Center have commenced operations successively. Leading logistics enterprises such as SF Express and EA have established a presence. More and more local and provincial specialty products, such as Qianyang Rock Sugar Orange, Xinhuang Yellow Cattle beef, and Jingzhou Poria, are accelerating their “going global” journey via the Huaihua International Land Port. The total output value of the port area reached 96.1 billion RMB in 2024, a 48% increase compared to 2020.
Huaihua’s Economic and Trade Cooperation Expands Rapidly. High-level open cooperation platforms were established, successfully hosting major events including two sessions of the Hunan RCEP Economic and Trade Expo and the 11th Global Hunan Entrepreneurs Convention. Reform measures such as “Express Clearance” and the “Single Document System” were implemented, and a “point-to-point” cooperation mechanism was established with customs authorities along the routes, resulting in clearance efficiency superior to the national average. These measures have driven an overall improvement in the city’s open economy level. The total import and export volume leaped from 1.45 billion RMB in 2020 to 13.76 billion RMB in 2024, an eightfold increase. The number of enterprises engaged in substantive foreign trade grew from 80 to 254. Huaihua’s cumulative ranking in the utilization of foreign investment rose from 11th to 4th place in the province.
The Huaihua Land Port Brand Gains Prominence. “Accelerating the construction of the Huaihua International Land Port” was incorporated into national policy documents promoting the accelerated rise of Central China. Huaihua also successfully joined the “13+2” inter-provincial consultation and cooperation mechanism for the New Western Land-Sea Corridor. It gained approval as a National Logistics Hub for Trade Services and a Composite Modern Circulation Strategic Pivot City, achieving the advancement from a “local concept” to a “national layout.” Concurrently, major media outlets have consistently focused their reporting on it, and domestic and international inspection delegations have visited upon hearing its reputation, continuously enhancing the fame and influence of the Huaihua International Land Port.
During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, the construction of the Huaihua International Land Port achieved significant phased results, unleashing greater vitality for open development. Enhancements were continuously made in the level of open platforms, the cargo consolidation capacity of the logistics hub, and the integrated development of the port, industries, and the city. Moving forward, Huaihua will steadfastly expand institutional opening up and intensify efforts to enhance the capability and level of the International Land Port, aiming to become a new benchmark for the highland of reform and opening up in inland areas.
(Translated by Tian Xia)