On the morning of April 15, at 11 a.m., the Meishan International Railway Port was bathed in the harsh sunlight, with the steel tracks reflecting a dazzling silver sheen. Two colossal blue steel "dragons", the Sichuan-Guangxi rail-sea intermodal train and the China-Laos international joint transport train, carrying products made in Sichuan, braved the intense heat and embarked on their journey. They moved steadily forward, destined for the Beibu Gulf Port in Guangxi and Vientiane, Laos, respectively.
Unlike previous locally operated single departures, these two trains were jointly launched by Sichuan New Land-Sea Corridor Development Co., Ltd. and Meishan International Railway Port Investment Group Co., Ltd. This event also marks the inaugural provincial-municipal collaborative initiative in Sichuan for the operation of international rail services.
Within the strategic framework of Sichuan's southern transport corridor, how did Meishan, a city that is neither a provincial capital nor home to a major port, become the launch site for the provincial-municipal joint international rail service?
Service Upgrade: Transport Efficiency Increased by 40 Percent
"After the provincial government announced the fiscal subsidy policy for the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor rail service in January of this year, we quickly grasped the policy's details, actively engaged with relevant stakeholders, and simultaneously identified the needs of enterprises. Our concerted efforts culminated in securing the necessary support, paving the way for the provincial-municipal joint international rail service," explained He Licheng, Deputy General Manager of Meishan International Railway Port Investment Group Co., Ltd. He added that the collaboration is not only a pressing need for the industrial development of Meishan but is also closely related to the city's locational advantages.
Meishan, as a key component of both the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle and the Chengdu metropolitan area, is strategically positioned to serve the dual cities, link the broader southwestern region, and extend its influence into Southeast Asia. In recent years, Meishan has consistently pursued the primary strategy of "Building a City Strong in Manufacturing", energetically developing a modern industrial system centered around the "1+3" sectors: new energy, new materials, and electronic information, equipment manufacturing, as well as pharmaceuticals and food. "In the first three months of this year, the city's value added of industrial enterprises above the designated size has increased by 24.3 percent," introduced a relevant leading official from the Meishan Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information.
The robust growth of Meishan's industry acts as a magnet, attracting waves of industrial enterprises to deepen their roots in Meishan, laying a solid industrial foundation for the city. In the first quarter of this year, Meishan City successfully secured 75 new investment projects, with a total contract value of 51.498 billion yuan. The city's progress towards its goal of reaching 100 billion yuan has now surpassed 50 percent.
The expanding manufacturing sector has driven stronger corporate needs for efficient goods circulation. In particular, export-oriented companies settled in Meishan are in dire need of solutions to logistical dilemmas, including exorbitant shipping costs, long delivery cycles, and complicated multi-modal transportation connection processes. "Previously, shipping goods through the Yangtze River to Shanghai for export entailed numerous uncertainties and typically took around 20 days. Alternatively, transporting goods by road from Chengdu was considerably expensive," remarked Li Haitao, Chairman of the Board of Sichuan Hongya Qingyijiang Sodium Sulphate Co., Ltd.
In 2021, Meishan launched its first international train service, marking a significant initial move towards solving these logistical challenges. To date, the Meishan International Railway Port has handled 427 freight trains, including 288 operating under the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor framework, constituting 67.4 percent of the total. These rail services connect 34 key international node cities, demonstrating ongoing advancements in developing a modern logistics system.
The inaugural launch of Sichuan's provincial-municipal joint international rail service from Meishan, coupled with the official unveiling of the "Sichuan Southbound Railway Meishan Base", the province's first southbound rail base, marks another logistics upgrade secured through Meishan's proactive initiatives.
As introduced, these two provincial-municipal joint rail services are qualified to benefit from subsidies provided by both the provincial and city (prefecture) governments, which substantially lower logistics costs and enhance transportation efficiency. The Sichuan-Guangxi rail-sea intermodal train exemplifies this efficiency: it reaches Beibu Gulf Port within just 72 hours, cutting transport time by 40 percent. "The overall cost can be reduced by roughly 30 percent," stated Li Haitao.
Thriving Trade Corridor Achieves Two-Way Commerce: "Made Locally" Ships Out, Global Goods Flow In
Recently, workers at Sichuan Fusheng Auto Parts Co., Ltd. have been operating at full capacity to meet the tight delivery schedules for their latest batch of automotive AC blower motors. "Eighty percent of our products are sold in international markets, with substantial portions going to Thailand, Indonesia, and other Southeast Asian countries," explained Wang Sen, the deputy general manager of the company.
"Given the flexibility and unpredictability of our orders, we typically opt for road transport to Shanghai for export," said Wang Sen. He added that the company is contemplating rerouting through the southern corridor, "which promises greater efficiency and cost savings, significantly aiding our expansion into emerging markets like Southeast Asia."
"The new train service provides a quicker journey and reduced costs compared to earlier routes from Yibin, Luzhou, and Chongqing," noted Lin Jiaxiang, the business manager of Sichuan New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd., which mainly handles the transport of goods from local and neighboring businesses to Southeast Asian nations via the southern route. "Looking ahead, we intend to deepen our cooperation with the Yuhu Cold Chain (Meishan) Trading Center to introduce Meishan's specialty fruits like oranges, loquats, and grapes to the world market."
The upgrade of the logistics corridor is sparking a "chemical reaction" in Meishan. This steel trade artery, spanning north to south, not only ships "Meishan-made" products worldwide but also delivers ASEAN goods to Sichuan, facilitating a dual-directional flow of "selling globally" and "buying globally".
"Currently, our trade relations with ASEAN countries are becoming increasingly close," said He Licheng. The company plans to bring spodumene, rubber, and fruits to Meishan, which will not only satisfy the raw material requirements of local businesses but also offer local citizens access to more reasonably priced imported products, He added. Efforts are currently underway to initiate the cold chain train service. In the future, fresh Southeast Asian specialty fruits like durians and mangoes can be transported directly to Meishan.
Previously, the approach was "borrowing a boat to access global markets"; now, the focus is on "propelling industry growth through trade corridors". Wang Yue, Vice Mayor of the Meishan Municipal People's Government, stated that Meishan will leverage the establishment of the "Sichuan Southbound Railway Meishan Base" as a new milestone and the "rail-sea intermodal + cross-border train service" as twin drivers to transition from a "corridor economy" to an "industrial economy". This initiative aims to establish an efficient and convenient international logistics corridor, enabling "Made in Meishan" and "Made in Sichuan" products to access Southeast Asian markets and connect globally.
As another freight train carrying "Made in Meishan" products pulls away, the steady drumbeat of wheels on tracks echoes the development momentum of Meishan, which is accelerating into a new era.
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