Chongqing - By 2027, a higher level of economic, efficient, convenient, green, and safe New International Land-sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC) will be built, where Chongqing's strategic position and competitiveness will be enhanced comprehensively, according to a promotion conference of ILSTC held on March 27. 

To achieve this goal, the conference proposed four priorities for creating the corridor in developing China's western region, connecting the Belt and Road, supporting the western region to conduct international economic and trade cooperation, and promoting deep integration of transportation and logistics economy. 

The first Chongqing-made NEVs were delivered via ILSTC. (Photo/Xie Li)

In the future, the volume and value of the goods transported via ILSTC, China Railway Express to Europe, and Yangtze River Golden Waterway will achieve robust growth, while the corridor logistics costs and operation time will reduce by 20% and 30%, respectively.

Enhance the operational capabilities of the Singapore Airlines 

The China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity Administrative Bureau (CCIB) will focus on key projects, innovative measures, and interchange platforms to boost the ILSTC development, said Sun Xiyong, deputy director of the CCIB. 

For example, to enhance the operational capabilities of the Singapore Airlines Aircraft Spares Bonded Distribution Centre, Chongqing will start the construction of the second phase of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) multimodal transport demonstration base and Chongqing Tongliang Cold Chain Logistics Base. 

The rail-sea combined transport train of the ILSTC departed from Chongqing Tuanjie Village Station. (Photo/ Visual Chongqing)

Within three years, the number of Chongqing-Singapore flights will increase to more than ten per week, and the revenue of logistics and related industries in the China-Singapore (Chongqing) International Aviation Logistics Industry Demonstration Zone will reach 30 billion yuan (about 4.36 billion U.S. dollars). 

Additionally, the CCIB will continue to support international cooperation and exchange platforms to explore policy innovation, with examples like the Smart China Expo and the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Connectivity Initiative Financial Summit (CCI-FS), which is held in Chongqing every year.

ILSTC express vehicles departed from Chongqing. (Photo/ILSTC)

Automobile products remain the largest quantity transported in ILSTC

As China's third national development and opening zone, the Liangjiang New Area promoted the ILSTC construction at a high level, represented by Guoyuan Port, the largest multimodal transport hub port in inland China. 

Data shows the ILSTC trains via Guoyuan Port covered 228 ports in 77 countries and regions. In 2022, Guoyuan Port launched 488 trains with a year-on-year increase of 83%, accounting for 20% of the city's total volume.

According to the ILSTC Operation and Organization Center, automobile products have become one of the categories with the highest value and largest quantity transported in ILSTC. 

For example, this March, the ILSTC launched the first rail-sea intermodal train for new energy vehicles at Guoyuan Port, carrying the cars produced by Seres. This Chinese automobile manufacturer startup solely produces electric vehicles. 

Many automotive and logistics enterprises exported products overseas via ILSTC, which is conducive to the foreign trade of Liangjiang New Area. In 2022, the total import and export volume of Liangjiang New Area to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries reached 41.9 billion yuan, an increase of 18.2%.