A promotional conference on the joint development of freight train services to Europe for the provinces of Shanxi, Shaanxi and Henan was held in Taiyuan city, capital of Shanxi province on June 18.

More than 100 government officials and representatives of companies and financial institutions discussed ways for Shanxi to develop an export-oriented economy at the conference, which saw the launch of the Huayuan International Land Port International Industry Alliance and the staging of Shanxi import and export trade promotions. 

Huayuan International Land Port Group, an operator of Shanxi province's freight train service to Europe, led the initiative to promote the cooperation between the three provinces.

Wu Qiang, chairman of Huayuan International Land Port Group, said that the provinces would jointly create a more efficient, convenient and low-cost Belt and Road logistics and transportation channel.

Wu said they would increase the high-quality development of the Yellow River basin and build a new national rail hub for the Silk Road by jointly developing China-Europe cargo train services.

In recent years, Shanxi has been promoting Belt and Road Initiative, launching 218 trains to Central Asia and Europe. By the end of 2019, the province's import and export value to countries involved in the initiative hit 33 billion yuan ($4.14 billion), accounting for 22.8 percent of its total foreign trade value.

Officials said that seizing the opportunities brought by this partnership, Shanxi will develop high quality regular freight trains under digital management and build itself into a cargo distribution and gathering hub in North China for China-Europe cargo trains.