The Guangdong-Yunnan-Lancang-Mekong Railway Express started operation officially on Wednesday, opening up a new international freight route connecting south China's Guangdong Province, southwest China's Yunnan Province and Southeast Asian countries including Thailand and Laos.
Loaded with southeast Asian specialties including tapioca from Laos and tropical fruits from Thailand, the first train of this new railway route departed from the Wangjiayingxi Railway Station in Kunming City of Yunnan Province for Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province on Wednesday.
The route opens up a new efficient logistics channel that runs through provinces in south and southwest China and meanwhile builds connections with Southeast Asia.
"After the opening of the Guangdong-Yunnan-Lancang-Mekong Railway Express, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will be connected to the Lancang-Mekong Express of the China-Laos Railway through domestic inter-city express trains. Taking the route from Kunming to Bangkok and to Guangzhou as an example, the entire transportation time has now been cut by about two to three days," said Xu Chao, deputy general manager of the Kunming central station of China Railway Intermodal Transport of Containers Co., Ltd. Since it began operations, the China-Laos Railway has transported more than 41.6 million tonnes of goods, including 9.8 million tonnes of import and export goods. The railway handles 18 international freight trains on daily average.
China launches new freight train route connecting Greater Bay Area, southeast Asia
Flowers are selling well in many markets across China as people are preparing for the celebration of the upcoming New Year's Day and Spring Festival.
In Taiyuan City of north China's Shanxi Province, local flower markets have seen a peak season with flowers symbolizing good fortune and happiness, such as moth orchids, cyclamens and azaleas, popular among consumers.
"The New Year is coming, and I like flowers carrying auspicious and good connotations. As the saying goes, 'the purple air comes from the east,' which is a propitious omen. They will also add colors to our home," said Ma Xiangyun, a consumer.
In Tianshui City of northwest China's Gansu Province, consumers can choose flowers directly in greenhouses at a floral industrial park, where more than 70 varieties of orchids have come into full blossom.
"Moth orchids are perfect and elegant. I'd like to buy some to gift them to my relatives and friends," said Guo Li, a consumer.
The industrial park provides both online and offline purchasing options for consumers to select fresh flowers and even create customized flower arrangements.
The growing demand of flowers ahead of the New Year has also brought a price hike at the Dounan Flower Market in Kunming City of southwest China's Yunnan.
"The price of flowers has been on the rise over the past month, especially for the red and pink varieties. The average price for a red flower is about 2.2 to 2.3 yuan (30.14 to 31.51 U.S. cents). Those of higher quality are priced at 2.7 to 2.8 yuan or even more than 3 yuan each," said Li Chen, an auctioneer from Kunming Dounan Agricultural Products Auction Co., Ltd.
Flower markets boom in China ahead of New Year
