The SCO Demonstration Area in the first ten months of 2025 saw the departure of 1,042 China-Europe freight trains, up 13.8% from the year before. The figure, a historic record high, has surpassed last year’s total number.

The SCO Demonstration Area has so far opened 32 international and domestic freight train routes, which provide access to 54 cities in 23 SCO member states and countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, and constitute an international logistics channel that connects Japan and South Korea in the east, Eurasia in the west, Mongolia and Russia in the north, and ASEAN countries in the south. A cumulative total of more than 5,000 China-Europe freight trains departed. Trains dedicated to carrying home appliances, tires, commodity vehicles and foodstuffs were put into regular operation. Supply chain trains were customized for Haier, Hisense and other companies. By providing services to more than 7,000 foreign trade-oriented enterprises, China-Europe freight trains have achieved a sound integration with competitive industries in Shandong Province, helped stabilize international supply chain and industrial chain, and served as an outpost to give SCO member states access to Asia-Pacific markets. (Wang Meng / Wang Shan)

A China-Europe freight train pulls out of the multimodal transport center in the SCO Demonstration Area.  By Li Ziheng