At Yiwu West Railway Station, there is an average of five Yiwu-Xinjiang-Europe (YXE) trains departing to Eurasian countries every day. Another group of YXE trains are ready to depart from the Jinhua South Freight Yard, a station 35 km away. These two stations are a special feature of Jinhua, which, differently from other cities, set up a dual digital platform for YXE trains: Jinhua Platform manages the Jinhua South Station established in the Jindong District two years ago and dependent upon the Yiwu Platform. The dual platform facilitates the transportation of YXE trains.

The coverage of YXE lines has been continuously expanded due to the development of dual platforms. In the past five years, the number of YXE lines has increased from 9 to 24, now connecting more than 50 countries and 160 cities. The annual import and export trade volume has kept increasing every year, and the number of trains running annually ranks third in China.

In addition to increasing the quantity of running trains, YXE trains have improved the quality of goods shipped. The proportion of high-tech products among the exports transported by the trains has been increasing, and more specific trains that transport the products produced in the cities where the starting stations are located to export “Made in Zhejiang” products to Eurasia. Products from Eurasia are also imported to Zhejiang, including red wine, candy, auto parts, and more. By May 31, the total number of YXE trains running at the Yiwu and Jindong platforms was 960 this year, among which the number of import trains was 368, or about 40%.

YXE trains also become important transportation channels for the international transportation of anti-pandemic materials and guaranteeing the supply chain. For instance, on March 21, 2020, one of the YXE trains that set off was the first one to deliver anti-pandemic materials. Now, YXE trains have delivered more than 222 TEUs of masks, protective clothing, goggles, forehead thermometers, and other pandemic prevention materials to Spain, Germany, Poland, Russia, and other countries, amounting to more than 1,639 tons. (By Ye Mengting, translated by Wang Junwen, edited by Kendra Fiddler)