Cargo train in first with arrival at Moscow hub

The first freight train from China bound for a major logistics center in Moscow arrived in the Russian capital on Thursday, heralding a boost in rail-borne trade between the two countries.

The train left Shenyang, the capital of Northeast China's Liaoning province, on July 3, with its final destination the Berelast Logistics Center. The journey marked the start of regular rail freight services between Shenyang and Moscow using the Berelast complex.

It carried auto parts, chemicals, mechanical equipment, along with 300,000 masks donated by the commercial department of Liaoning province and other institutions in Shenyang.

"The running of the freight train adds significant meaning to the bilateral cooperation between China and Russia," said Xu Song, deputy general manager of the Liaoning Port Group."With the role of the Berelast Logistics Center on the Russian side, it becomes the first project implemented under the coordination between China's Belt and Road Initiative and the Russialed Eurasian Economic Union."

The complex was jointly built by the Liaoning Port Group and Russian Railways and since 2017 has served as a major logistics infrastructure cooperation project between the neighbors.

The first phase of the center was completed this year, enabling the start of services on the China-Europe freight train, Xu said.

To boost trade between Russia and Northeast China, Liaoning will accelerate the construction of a green customs clearance pilot project between the two countries, according to Song Yanlin, director-general of Liaoning's commercial department.