On January 9, the Huaihua International Land Port Economic Development Zone announced that by December 31, 2025, the port had cumulatively operated 1,220 international freight train trips, with both the number of train trips and cargo value achieving significant year-on-year growth.

Over the past year, the Huaihua International Land Port has focused on its strategic positioning as a hub of reform and opening-up in inland regions. By deeply integrating into the Belt and Road Initiative and the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, the port has established a high-quality development framework characterized by more frequent trips, broader coverage, richer cargo varieties, and enhanced service efficiency.

Leveraging the advantages of the Huaihua International Land Port, the city's distinctive industrial clusters—including suitcases and bags, bamboo and wood products, and agricultural product processing—are accelerating their integration into international markets. By 2025, the export of suitcases and bags amounted to 1,874 containers, marking a 98.52% year-on-year increase, while that of bamboo and wood products hit 442 containers, up 57.86% year on year. These specialty products have become a crucial pillar supporting the city's steady progress in foreign trade.

The Huaihua International Land Port is focused on building an efficient cold-chain logistics system. The Hunan-Yunnan-Lancang-Mekong cold-chain freight train route operates steadily, with a total of 3,708 containers of cold-chain fruits and vegetables shipped throughout the year—a 17-fold increase from the previous year, overfulfilling the annual target by 618%. Meanwhile, a total of 398 containers (4,180 tonnes) of bananas and 170 containers (2,296 tonnes) of longan were imported from ASEAN countries via the cold-chain service. These efforts have accelerated the building of a key cold-chain distribution hub in southwest China.

The Huaihua International Land Port has deepened its "one-stop" collaboration with customs, railways, and ports authorities, implementing streamlined measures such as the "Railway Express" customs clearance model and "Advance Declaration." These initiatives have significantly improved the overall operational efficiency of freight trains, attracting a broader range of regions and a wider variety of goods to be distributed here.

Currently, the Huaihua International Land Port has established a dense network of 200 international and domestic routes. Seven major international logistics corridors, including those connecting China with Laos and Vietnam, operate regularly and steadily, efficiently aligning with rail-sea and road-rail intermodal transport services. The port's logistics services have reached 216 ports and stations across 69 countries and regions worldwide, forming a comprehensive logistics network that seamlessly links land and sea routes while facilitating mutual support between eastern and western regions.

With the smooth operation of international logistics channels, the integration of the port, industries, and the city continues to deepen, and the clustering effect of industries becomes increasingly prominent. Industries such as manufacturing, modern agriculture, and commerce and logistics in Huaihua and its surrounding areas are thriving. The export share of Huaihua's specialty products is steadily increasing, including suitcases and bags as well as bamboo and wood products. The city's position as a regional international logistics hub and a gateway for opening up to the outside world is being consolidated, injecting strong momentum into the export-oriented economy of Hunan and central China.

Looking forward, Huaihua will focus on enhancing its transport capacity, expanding service functions, deepening regional cooperation, and strengthening industrial synergy. The city will explore launching more customized and specialized freight trains, continuously optimize the business environment, and strive to build a more efficient, cost-effective, service-oriented, and far-reaching international logistics hub and open economy platform.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government. www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: Xinhua