The first China-Vietnam cold-chain freight train leaves Pingxiang for Shanghai on Feb 22. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

The first China-Vietnam cold-chain freight train left Pingxiang Checkpoint Logistics Center in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region for Shanghai's Minhang district on Feb 22.

The 79990 train, equipped with 25 refrigerated containers, is mainly used to transport dragon fruits, longan and other Southeast Asian fruits after they are inspected and quarantined at Friendship Pass border port. A single trip on the 2,331-km route takes about 70 hours, 50 hours shorter than normal freight trains.

Xu Qin, deputy director of the Department of Commerce of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, delivers a speech at the launch ceremony. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

The service is still in its preliminary stages, offering two trips from Pingxiang to Shanghai every month. The frequency will be increased to 15 trips per month upon the opening of the Pingxiang Railway Checkpoint for Imported Fruit by July.

The cold-chain freight train is of great importance to the formation of an efficient transportation network to help sell Guangxi and ASEAN agricultural products, fruit, and seafood throughout the Yangtze River Delta. The network is expected to extend to Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province, and Beijing in the future.