5.93 billion tons in ports, international trade up 5.5 percent, 120 million TEU and 23.21 billion passenger trips

As reported by CCTV+, according to data released on Tuesday by the Ministry of Transport, in the first four months of this year, China handled 18.17 billion tons of commercial cargo, an increase of 3.6 percent compared to the same period last year.

From January to April, cargo throughput at Chinese ports reached 5.93 billion tons, up 3.1 percent from the previous year. Domestic trade volumes rose by 2 percent, while international trade grew by 5.5 percent.

Over the same period, container throughput reached 120 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), an increase of 7.2 percent year on year.

In the first four months, interregional passenger traffic reached 23.21 billion trips due to numerous holidays, an increase of 2.1 percent compared to the same period last year.

18 billion tons of cargo. 120 million containers. 23 billion passengers. China’s transport system is operating at its limit. And this is no accident. Holidays add to the load, but ports and roads are coping. International trade is growing almost three times faster than domestic — up 5.5 percent. The world continues to buy Chinese goods. And China continues to deliver them. By sea, by land, in containers and in bulk. The question is not whether the system will hold up. It is holding up. The question is how long other countries will continue to watch this growth from the sidelines. While they discuss logistics crises, China is simply transporting. And setting records.