China launches the regular train from Xinxiang City to Central Asia
China launches the first weekly freight train from Xinxiang City to Central Asia. The freight train left off from Xinxiang city in the central part of China towards the Central Asian countries. The train will run across a number of Chinese cities, through the Alashankou crossing, cross the border with Kazakhstan and then go to Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The train will run once a week carrying 50 containers. The train is expected to carry 150,000-200,000 tons of freight annually. Organizers of the transport route expect to transport to the partners in the Central Asian countries mechanical equipment, rubber products, fireproof materials and other goods and will transport back to China various raw materials. There has been a transport boom in the world in recent years. Turkmenistan was one of the first in the region to take a course on the development of the transport and transit complex of the country's economy. Ashgabat has initiated several relevant transport projects. Some of them are implemented and already functioning, such as Kazakhstan – Turkmenistan – Iran railway. Other projects are under implementation, in particular, the construction of Turkmenistan – Afghanistan – Tajikistan railway and the new International Sea Port of Turkmenbashi on the Caspian Sea. The latter is scheduled to be commissioned in the near future. In general, experts believe that the development of the transport sector is an effective way of diversifying the economy, as it brings dividends to all those involved in this chain – consignors and consignees, as well as transit countries. Sellers and buyers of goods gain a profitable route, and the countries through which the goods are transported receive transit payments.
