The train departs from Fangchenggang Railway Station, bringing it with great economic benefits. [Photo/gx.people.cn]

The first train from Mexico via ship departed from Fangchenggang, a coastal city in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, to Mengzi in Yunnan province, on Oct 22, showing Fangchenggang's status as an important hub city on the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

As the biggest harbour city in western China, Fangchenggang is a key logistics platform linking China and ASEAN countries. Relying on its natural geographical advantages, the city has grown into a vital harbour for imports of raw materials. In possession of more than 70 railway lines for loading and unloading cargo, Fangchenggang Railway Station dispatches over 70 trains per day, totaling a daily shipping volume above 110,000 metric tons. The city is laying a solid foundation for the development of sea-railway combined transportation in the western regions of China.

In order to complete the Mexican transportation project, the Guangxi Yanhai Railway Company developed a proposal providing preferential policies to lower transportation costs. In addition, the company paid close attention to operating conditions at the harbour to ensure the seamless connection of the cargo transportation.

According to the Fangchenggang government, the line is expected to increase the volume of containers by as much as 14,000 tons monthly for Fangchenggang Railway Station, which will help to boost the development of the local logistics industry.