The China-Europe Railway Express not only connects Asia and Europe but also exemplifies the lofty goals of the Belt and Road Initiative.

North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, as the central and eastern channel of the China-Europe Railway Express, shoulders nearly 30 percent of its national freight volume.

Currently, the China-Europe Railway Express departing from Inner Mongolia can reach 13 countries and 28 cities in Europe, with domestic collection points covering more than 60 cities, including Tianjin, Changsha, Guangzhou, and Suzhou.

In the first eight months of 2023, Inner Mongolia's imports and exports to countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) exceeded 800 billion yuan ($109.59 billion).

In particular, since the first Suzhou-Manzhouli-Europe China-Europe Railway Express was launched in 2013, a total of 57 routes have been set up through China's largest land port, Manzhouli.

The number of trains running on these routes has increased from just one in 2013 to 4,818 in 2022, with the cumulative total reaching over 20,000 this April.

Zhou Xiaojian, an official from Hohhot Customs, said the number of China-Europe Railway Express trains passing through Ereenhot Port, the largest land port on the border of China and Mongolia, has exceeded 2,000 this year. This puts it 69 days ahead of last year's pace.

The express operations have effectively driven exports of agricultural products from Inner Mongolia.