Southwest China to launch two foreign trade routes

CHONGQING - Two new foreign trade routes will be opened this year in southwest China's Chongqing municipality, local authorities said Friday.

Container transport will be authorized for the Yunkunmianyue international railway, which begins in Chongqing and runs through the provinces of Guizhou and Yunnan and the countries of Myanmar and Vietnam before ending at the Indian Ocean, according to Ma Zhongyuan, head of Chongqing's customs office.

Ma said the railway's container shipments will facilitate exports from Chongqing and west China to ASEAN member countries.

Another railway linking Chongqing with the city of Duisburg in Germany will be extended to the port city of Antwerp in Belgium, shortening the time it takes to ship goods from Chongqing to Belgium to about 16 days, 20 days less than the time on sea route, according to Ma.

China and Belgium also agreed to simplify custom inspection procedures, allowing goods exported from Belgium to China to go through just a single inspection in Belgium, Ma said.

The Chongqing municipal government has constructed multiple foreign trade ports and channels in recent years. The growth of the region's foreign trade value, foreign investment and overseas investment rank first among the country's provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities.