The China-Europe freight train has a series of important advantages and Finland welcomes more freight train connections with China, Ville Skinnari, Finnish minister for development cooperation and foreign trade said in a recent interview with Chinese media Xinhua.
According to Xinhua, the Finnish Minister said there is huge potential for trade between China and Finland by rail and Finland hopes to become a leading center between China and Europe with its existing advantages in transportation and logistics.
The China-Europe cargo rail transport service was initiated in 2011 and is considered a significant component of the Belt and Road Initiative, a global infrastructure development strategy adopted by the Chinese government in 2013 to invest in nearly 70 countries and international organizations.
The first China-Europe freight train route between China and Finland opened in 2017 and connected Xi’an in northwestern China with Kouvola in southeastern Finland.
According to Ville Skinnari speed and the railway freight’s clear sustainability advantage compared to other means of transport are among the important advantages. “For companies, it is important to be able to diversify their logistical chains, add value with speed and have alternative means of transport,” he said.
The Finnish Minister added that the China-Europe freight train has also facilitated trade between China and other Nordic countries and that industries from Sweden and Norway are also finding new railway routes.
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