The 8th Silk Road International Expo in Xi'an City of northwest China's Shaanxi Province concluded on Tuesday with attendees hoping to enhance cooperation and boost connectivity between China and countries along the trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR).
Themed "Deepen Connectivity and Strengthen Economic and Trade Cooperation", the five-day event featured five exhibition areas focusing on international exchanges, inter-provincial cooperation, transportation logistics, advanced manufacturing, and the modern energy sector.
Representatives from 15 organizations and leaders of prominent international logistics companies along the Caspian Sea gathered to discuss future cooperation along the trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), a key cross-continental transport route also known as the Middle Corridor.
Significant agreements were reached among participants at the expo, including one on cooperation on the implementation of the Aktau Container Hub Project and the establishment of the Aktau International Container Partnership, marking a crucial step forward in advancing a major container hub project in Kazakhstan, which will help to greatly strengthen the country's logistics sector.
According to Yuan Xiaojun, general manager of the Xi'an Free Trade Port Development company, railway and shipping companies from various countries along the Trans-Caspian route have gained a deeper understanding of the Chinese market through several days of in-depth discussions in Xi'an, while multiple enterprises have also expressed their commitment to continuously promoting trade.
"Our next step will be to work with members of the Trans-Caspian Alliance to further reduce costs and improve efficiency, enabling Chinese goods to travel more quickly between Central Asia, Western Asia, and European countries," said Yuan.
Greater efforts have been made to implement the outcomes of the landmark China-Central Asia Summit, which was the first gathering attended in person by the heads of state of China and five Central Asian countries - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan - and was held in Xi'an, the historical starting point of the ancient Silk Road, last May. The summit has created a new platform and opened up new prospects for China-Central Asia cooperation.
Aligning with the Belt and Road Initiative that was proposed in 2013, the Silk Road International Expo was first held in 2016 with an aim to promote cultural exchanges and economic cooperation among countries along the Belt and Road.
Cooperation along trans-Caspian international transport corridor enhanced at Silk Road Expo
