New freight train route links Xi'an in China with Baku in Azerbaijan

The freight train network between China and Europe has seen a new route put into service, to boost economic and trade development along the line and serve the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

According to the new route's operator China State Railway Group, trains running along the line are scheduled to depart from Xi'an in northwest China, leave the country via Horgos port in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, pass through Kazakhstan, cross the Caspian Sea, and reach Baku, Azerbaijan, in about 12 days. Starting on Monday, the service runs on a daily basis.

The China-Europe freight rail service, which facilitates the movement of goods between China and European nations, has bolstered infrastructure connectivity, streamlined cargo transportation, and enriched trade and communication channels.

The China State Railway Group said that a total of 1,724 freight trains were put into service along the China-Europe Railway Express routes in May, which carried 186,000 standard containers of goods, hitting a new monthly high.

Chinese President Xi Jinping was personally greeted by his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmon upon arriving at the Danshube International Airport on Thursday evening for a state visit to Tajikistan.

Xi is paying a state visit at the invitation of Rahmon, with this marking his first trip to the country since 2019.

During the visit, Xi and Rahmon will hold talks in which they are expected to have in-depth exchanges on bilateral relations, key areas for cooperation, as well as issues of international and regional concern, while making new plans for the future development of China-Tajikistan relations.