Integrating into the “New Trade Corridor” and promoting Opening up

Huaihua came first in the Province in Total Foreign Trade Import and Export Growth Rate last year

Jan. 27 (Hunan Daily) (Omnimedia reporters: Xiao Jun, Lei Hongtao) The excavators were stretching out their iron arms, and the machineshop trucks were shuttling back and forth...On the eve of the Spring Festival, Huaihua International Land Port was bustling with people. The LCL center and other 14 projects were in full swing.

The report of the 20th CPC National Congress calls for “accelerating the development of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor”. As the only node city in Hunan Province in the planning of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, Huaihua has actively improved its infrastructure system, developed port industry, bettered business environment and stepped up regional cooperation, so as to integrate into the corridor at a faster pace and foster new advantages for economic development.

Huaihua International Land Port, a provincial-level key project for Hunan to integrate into the Belt and Road Initiative and align with the development of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, has striven to achieve the goal of “growing in two years and prospering in three years”. In 2022, a total of RMB9.8 billion was invested; ten projects, including the first phase of customs supervision sites, were completed; and such functions as the handling of international freight documents, loading and unloading inspection, storage and distribution have been continuously improved. The Yuanling–Chenxi Expressway, Zhangjiajie–Guanzhuang Expressway and other expressway projects have been steadily advanced; 101 kilometers of national and provincial roads were built; and the Yuanjiang River-Hongchen waterway project which can accommodate vessels of a capacity of up to 500 tons started. A connected, coordinated and efficient port transportation system is taking shape.

On January 6, 2022, the China-Laos (Huaihua-Vientiane) international freight train of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor departed Huaihua International Land Port on maiden trip. This is the first international freight train of Hunan and even central China which started its ASEAN trip from Huaihua. It marks the integration of Huaihua into the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. 

While introducing supplies of goods from other cities to Huaihua, the city has accelerated the development of its port industry. Comprehensive industrial parks integrating trade and processing as well as industrial bases are developed at a faster clip, and cassava, rubber, spices and other industries that rely on ports are taking initial shape. In 2022, the city saw 35 newly registered foreign trade companies and 32 freight forwarding enterprises and cross-border e-commerce import and export service enterprises. The warehouses in Vietnam were also put into operation.

Huaihua has made major breakthroughs in regional cooperation. In July 2022, the city officially took part in the “13+2” inter-provincial consultation and cooperation mechanism of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. The Huaihua Container Yard of the Beibu Gulf Port Group was unveiled. The first RCEP Openness and Cooperation Forum in Huaihua, China (Huaihua) – ASEAN Green Agricultural Products Matchmaking Conference and other international economic and trade activities were successfully held. Huaihua also becomes the permanent venue of RCEP (Hunan) Economic and Trade Expo and ASEAN (Hunan) International Fair for Goods and Services.

Huaihua has used multiple channels to improve the business environment of the “corridor”. The city made concerted efforts to reduce fees. It managed to reduce the freight rates of China Railway Guangzhou and China Railway Nanchang by 52% and 38%, respectively, and halve the expressway tolls for vehicles transporting international TEUs to Huaihua International Land Port. It also innovated the “integrated port” and “port connect” modes, thus greatly improving the efficiency of customs clearance.

Thanks to its efforts to integrate into the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, Huaihua, once an inland mountain city away from borders, seas and rivers, has become the frontier for Hunan’s opening up. According to customs statistics, Huaihua International Land Port operated 151 international freight trains in 2022, driving up Huaihua’s total foreign trade import and export volume by 135.6% year-on-year, ranking first in Hunan Province.  

(Translated by Yu Jie)