(Photo: Global Times)

A freight train carrying industrial materials, textile machinery, photovoltaic and electronic products departed for Hanoi, Vietnam, from East China's Jiangsu Province on Tuesday.

It is the first international freight train to travel from the Yangtze River Delta region to the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The opening of the route can help deepen trade ties between China and ASEAN, which is China's largest trading partner, experts said.

The train is carrying a total of 70 standard containers and is expected to arrive at its destination in five days, eight days quicker than water transportation.

The opening of the freight train contributes to the integration of the industrial chain and further promotes cooperation between the Yangtze River Delta and ASEAN economies, Xu Liping, a research fellow with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

The most traded items between the Yangtze River Delta region and ASEAN countries are electronic products, agricultural products and natural resources, he added.

"The freight train can reduce time and costs for enterprises and enhance their comprehensive competitiveness," Xu said.

ASEAN became China's largest trading partner in the first quarter of this year, with bilateral trade volume climbing 6.1 percent to hit $140 billion, growing against the downward trend caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

"Trade between China and ASEAN has outshone others during the coronavirus pandemic. It proves that there is great potential for China-ASEAN trade and cooperation," Xu added.

In the future, more international freight train routes to ASEAN will be opened to achieve a goal of operating four to six trains per month.