Shandong: Integrating Eurasian freight trains to create a golden signboard of "Qilu" (Part 1)

Deeply integrating into the joint construction of the "the Belt and Road" and creating a new highland for opening up is one of the eight strategies that Shandong strives to implement. The Eurasian Express is an important channel to integrate into the "the Belt and Road". Previously, the Eurasian trains in various parts of Shandong were operating independently and engaged in disorderly competition. With the strong promotion of the provincial party committee and the provincial government, Shandong has integrated all local trains into a "Qilu", creating a golden signboard for the "the Belt and Road".

These days, at Jinan South Station, nearly a hundred domestically produced cars are being packed and stored, taking the "Qilu" Eurasian train, which will enter the Russian market in 15 days. Since the beginning of this year, more than 50 "Qilu" fully loaded vehicles, household appliances, solar energy and other high value-added products have gathered from Jinan and been shipped to Russia, Central Asia and other places.

Geng Lei, General Manager of Shandong Expressway Guochu Logistics Co., Ltd., said, "In the first quarter alone, we issued 38 trains, exceeding last year's total. Since April, this growth trend has been very obvious, and now it is 14 trains, which means one train per day

Qilu Express "is a provincial-level Eurasian train operation platform established by Shandong in October 2018. Previously, including Jinan, there were 9 cities in Shandong that operated Eurasian trains, operating independently and engaging in disorderly competition. Problems such as a shortage of trains, limited supply of goods, and a shortage of return trips were constantly emerging, and there was even a risk of suspension.

Zhang Zhongying, Chief Economist of the Development and Reform Commission of Shandong Province, said, "Nine cities in our province have opened Eurasian trains, with the highest being less than 100 trains and the lowest being just a few trains, intermittent and unable to form economies of scale. The total number of trains operated in our province in 2016 was 279, but by 2017, it had dropped to 204, a decrease of 26.9%

At the same time, the number of Eurasian trains operating in cities such as Chongqing, Chengdu, and Zhengzhou continues to rise, with the highest reaching over 1000 trains per year. In other words, the nine trains in Shandong combined are less than a quarter of those in other provinces. In response to the crisis, Shandong proposed to integrate and coordinate the operation entities of 9 Eurasian trains, and develop them together. Led by Shandong Expressway Group, the provincial management enterprise with the most comprehensive business coverage in transportation and logistics, we will unify the naming of "Qilu Express", optimize transportation organization, operation processes, and fund settlement, and solve the problem of disorderly competition within the province through reasonable layout and differentiated development.

Zhang Yangjin, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Shandong High speed Logistics Group: "Based on the advantages of Shandong's industries and the differences in geography and location, a reasonable division should be made. Jinan mainly covers surrounding provinces and serves as a large gathering point; Zibo Weifang mainly exports industrial and agricultural products from Shandong; Qingdao and Rizhao mainly export transit goods from Japan and South Korea; forming a distinctive and differentiated distribution normal

Resources within the province are beginning to gather, and overseas services are also constantly expanding. Not long ago, the Shandong Provincial Government led a delegation to Japan and South Korea to promote the "Qilu Express" and established the "Qilu Express" Eurasian Express Korea Marketing Center. Through sea rail intermodal transportation, the starting point of the operating route was extended to Japan and South Korea. Coastal cities such as Qingdao and Yantai in Shandong have transformed from land transportation terminals to international transportation hubs that connect the east and west through sea rail intermodal transportation.

Zhang Yangjin, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Shandong High speed Logistics Group, said: "It also takes advantage of Shandong's geographical advantages. Goods from Japan and South Korea are transported to ports along the Shandong route through sea rail intermodal transportation, and then take the 'Qilu' to Europe, Central Asia, and ASEAN countries. This can form an international logistics corridor that connects Japan and South Korea to the east, the European Union to the west, Russia to the north, and ASEAN to the south. At present, our transit cargo volume has reached one train per day, and there will be some growth in the future

整合让陆路大通道愈加畅通。目前，山东已经与哈萨克斯坦、俄罗斯、德国等“一带一路”沿线国家铁路运输公司签订合作协议，“齐鲁号”欧亚班列拥有19条国际线路，可直达11个“一带一路”国家的39个城市。按照规划，到2021年，山东将确保“齐鲁号”双向往返开行1000列，支撑山东省打造对外开放新高地。

视频链接：https://v.iqilu.com/sdws/sdxwlb/2019/0520/4674072.html

信息来源： 山东新闻联播