China-ASEAN trade booms as freight trains drive cross-border commerce

The China-Vietnam freight train carries festive goods during the 2025 Spring Festival holiday. [Photo/WeChat account: gh_df8bc987e060]

China-ASEAN trade cooperation has deepened in recent years, with bilateral trade reaching 6.99 trillion yuan ($962.98 billion) in 2024, up 9 percent year-on-year. ASEAN has been China's largest trading partner for the past five years, while China has been ASEAN's largest trading partner for 16 years.

The China-Vietnam freight train, as an essential link between China and ASEAN, has witnessed the robust growth of China-ASEAN trade over the years. Launched in 2017, the train initially operated fewer than five trips per month and transported only basic goods. As trade grew and rail efficiency improved, the volume of goods being transported increased.

Zhu Shiqiang, a business manager at a cross-border logistics service company, reported that the company shipped over 1,400 containers of chemical products and boards via the China-Vietnam freight train in January, more than 10 times the volume in the same period last year.

The train even delivered festive goods to ASEAN countries over the 2025 Spring Festival holiday, and the train's high efficiency has facilitated the rapid import of ASEAN fruits like Vietnamese durians and fresh coconuts into China.

The railway department's efforts have been crucial. It plans to introduce new logistics equipment and include all-container types in the China-Vietnam freight train service, offering customized trains for the safe and efficient transport of goods like steel, food, lubricants, sulfuric acid, and lithium batteries.