Via New Silk Road Discovery, a report on growing China-Europe trade via rail:

The largest land port on the China-Russia border, Manzhouli in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, and Suifenhe Port, Heilongjiang province’s largest land port, recorded 2,754 trips of inbound and outbound China-Europe freight trains in the first half of this year, according to the China Railway Harbin Group.

Over the past six months, the trains have carried 293,000 standard-sized shipping containers, transporting daily necessities, general merchandise, mechanical equipment, metals, agricultural products and timber between China and European countries.

The Manzhouli port handled 2,338 trains and 252,000 containers, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.7 percent and 18.2 percent respectively, while the Suifenhe port handled 416 trains and 41,000 containers, with a year-on-year growth of 11.5 percent and 18.4 percent respectively.

All the figures hit a record high, the group said.

There are currently 22 routes for China-Europe freight trains via the two ports, which help promote trade between 60 Chinese cities and different cities in 13 European countries including Russia, Germany, Poland and Belgium.

Currently, the annual traffic volume of the two ports has exceeded 5,000, accounting for 30 percent of the total number of railway ports in China, and has showed a trend of continuous growth, the group said.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative and it is also the 10th anniversary of the operation of the China-Europe freight trains via Manzhouli Railway Station.

With its advantages of all-weather, large volume, green, low-carbon, smooth and safe transport, the China-Europe Railway has ensured the stability and smooth flow of international industrial and supply chains. It has become an important carrier of mutually beneficial connectivity between China and countries along the Belt and Road, the group said.