The China-Myanmar freight train operates on a new route. [Photo/liangjiang.gov.cn]

A shipment of goods carried by a freight train on the new China-Myanmar route departed on May 23 from Guoyuan port in the Liangjiang New Area in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality. In 15 days it will finally reach Mandalay – Myanmar's second largest city – via Lincang city in Yunnan, after a journey of 2,000 kilometers.

The new route is of great significance as it enables exports from Chongqing and its surrounding regions to access the Indian Ocean through Myanmar, and then reach countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and South Asia.

The route reduces shipping time by about 20 days and logistics costs by 20 percent, said Zhang Jun, president of the South Asia Future Investment Group Co, which has been investing in Myanmar for nearly 30 years and participated in the launch of the new route along with two other enterprises – Yuxinou (Chongqing) Logistics Co and COSCO Shipping Logistics Co.

Qi Dan, general manager of Yuxinou, said the company is currently promoting the normalized operation of the return freight train from Myanmar to Chongqing, which will further diversify the material transport approach between China and South Asian countries.

As one of the fastest routes from southwestern China to the Indian Ocean, the freight train is expected to turn Chongqing into a new regional logistic hub and enhance its connectivity with ASEAN and countries under the RCEP framework.