The 2nd China International Supply Chain Expo is ongoing in Beijing, spanning five days. On November 28, the third day of the expo, the Supply Chain Services Exhibition Area, one of this year’s major highlights, showcased supply chain cooperation models, experiences, and examples from the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in areas such as trade, logistics, and infrastructure construction. Continuously optimized supply chain services are injecting dynamism into the countries participating in the BRI. Officials noted that this collaboration, which strengthens the BRI trade chain, enables companies to conduct business more efficiently and provides consumers with more affordable products.
Many of the products exhibited originate from inland cities. Previously, due to the lack of waterway transportation channels, exporting these products overseas efficiently and at low cost was a significant challenge. However, with the ongoing construction of China’s New Western Land-Sea Corridor, the supply chain has been effectively streamlined, facilitating product circulation. Li Wei, Deputy General Manager of the New Corridor Operations Company, stated, “By connecting inland service networks to the sea and employing methods such as rail-sea intermodal transport, we are enabling inland products to reach global markets. Currently, our domestic services cover 18 provinces and 73 cities in China, while internationally, we connect to over 125 countries and more than 530 ports.”
Thanks to improved supply chains, onions from Gansu can now travel directly to Thailand via freight trains, while palm oil from Malaysia seamlessly integrates with the hotpot industry in the Sichuan and Chongqing regions. Trade bottlenecks between companies have been resolved, creating more business opportunities. Moreover, the rapid development of supply chain services is offering significant convenience to people in the Belt and Road countries. Supply chain services not only benefit businesses and the public but also enhance cooperation and communication among BRI countries, creating new opportunities for sustainable development.
Rahmantalla Osman, Permanent Representative of the African Union to China, remarked, “One of the major challenges in Africa is the lack of effective connectivity between countries. Therefore, we place great emphasis on strengthening interconnectivity among African nations. Over the past few years, China has helped build over 100,000 kilometers of roads in Africa, effectively improving our supply chain systems. This has enabled African countries to more efficiently transport resources to China and other nations, further integrating into the global economy.”