A highway shuttle bus departed from Chongqing Banan District on April 28 and arrived in Laos, a country of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) about 1,900 kilometers away, four days later. This marks the official opening of the cross-border through shuttle bus service from Chongqing to Vientiane, Laos.

First GMS license approved

With the first Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) license approved in the inland provinces and cities in western China, it allows Chinese trucks to drive nonstop towards the destination without the need for transshipment at border ports, greatly reducing the risk of cargo damage and improving transportation efficiency.

Since the beginning of this year, Chongqing has worked to bring its role as the logistics and organization and operation center of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC) into better play.

It has deepened consultation and cooperation with en route provinces, autonomous regions, and cities, moved forward with ILSTC construction with continuous efforts, and made remarkable achievements in all ILSTC's three modes of transport.

Statistics show that in January-April this year, 19,588 TEUs were transported through ILSTC's rail-sea intermodal freight trains, registering a year-on-year growth of 130% and the total value of goods transported reached 2.43 billion yuan (379 million U.S. dollars), representing year-on-year growth of 117%.

1,672 TEUs were transported through ILSTC cross-border highway shuttle buses (Chongqing-ASEAN), registering a year-on-year growth of 84%, and the total value of goods transported reached 417 million yuan, representing year-on-year growth of 149%.

Furthermore, 410 TEUs were transported through ILSTC's international railway transport, registering a year-on-year growth of 55%.

Province-to-province cooperation mechanism

Before the Labour Day holiday, Liu Wei, Deputy Director of ILSTC logistics and operation organization center, has made many trips over the past few days. He went to Beijing, Xinjiang, Zhejiang, and other places.

"As per the general ILSTC planning requirements, Chongqing will play the leading role in ILSTC logistics, operation, and organization work, especially in establishing and completing the province-to-province consultation and cooperation mechanism," said Liu Wei.

Liu said that he had led his team to visit many provinces and cities since the beginning of this year, with a view of promoting cooperation, advancing mechanism establishment together, and keeping mutual development on track.

ILSTC Operation Xinjiang Company 

This April, ILSTC Operation Xinjiang Company was officially inaugurated to take charge of the organization and operation work of ILSTC in Xinjiang. Since then, a cross-regional comprehensive operation platform for ILSTC characterized by the joint construction of Chongqing, Guangxi, Gansu, Guizhou, Ningxia, and Xinjiang has been formed.

"By establishing ILSTC Operation Xinjiang Company, we aim to maximize Xinjiang's advantages in geographical location and resources to better serve local economic growth," said a relevant head from the Department of Commerce Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Looking ahead, ILSTC Operation Xinjiang Company will work together with other operating companies to promote the formation of a comprehensive operating system.

With the system, Xinjiang's characteristic products can realize better and more sustained development. Moreover, Western China's characteristic products can form an internal circulation, and bilateral economic and trade exchanges with ASEAN and other countries can be enhanced through ILSTC's service network.