An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 4, 2025 shows the Qinzhou Port in Qinzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor saw over 1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), an increase of 72.5 percent year-on-year, being transported by the rail-sea intermodal freight trains as of Sept. 4 this year. (Xinhua/Zhang Ailin)

NANNING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, a key logistics network connecting China's western regions to global markets, had transported over 1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of cargo this year as of Thursday, marking a record high, according to China Railway Nanning Group.

By Thursday, the cargo volume along the corridor this year had reached 1,001,455 TEUs, surging 72.5 percent year on year. This marks the first time the annual freight volume has exceeded the 1 million TEU mark since the corridor began operations in 2017.

As an important project under the Belt and Road Initiative, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor has continued to play a key role in boosting the socio-economic development of China's western regions and facilitated the regions' high-level opening-up.

Railway operators have continued to expand the network of train services along the corridor. A total of 24 fixed train routes are currently in operation, including 14 routes connecting Beibu Gulf Port in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Zhanjiang Port in neighboring Guangdong Province to major inland hubs in western China such as Chongqing and Chengdu.

A total of 4.7 million TEUs of cargo have been transported via the corridor since it opened in 2017, with the cargo volume consistently registering double-digit annual growth rates, according to official data.

Goods transported through the trade corridor via intermodal rail-sea service now span electronics, vehicles and auto parts, machinery, household appliances and food. ■

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 4, 2025 shows the Qinzhou Port in Qinzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor saw over 1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), an increase of 72.5 percent year-on-year, being transported by the rail-sea intermodal freight trains as of Sept. 4 this year. (Xinhua/Zhang Ailin)

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 4, 2025 shows a cargo ship pulling into the Qinzhou Port in Qinzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor saw over 1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), an increase of 72.5 percent year-on-year, being transported by the rail-sea intermodal freight trains as of Sept. 4 this year. (Xinhua/Zhang Ailin)

A freight train pulls into the Qinzhou Port East Railway Station in Qinzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sept. 4, 2025.

The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor saw over 1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), an increase of 72.5 percent year-on-year, being transported by the rail-sea intermodal freight trains as of Sept. 4 this year. (Xinhua/Zhang Ailin)

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 4, 2025 shows the Qinzhou Port in Qinzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor saw over 1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), an increase of 72.5 percent year-on-year, being transported by the rail-sea intermodal freight trains as of Sept. 4 this year. (Xinhua/Zhang Ailin)

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 4, 2025 shows cargo ships berthed at a container dock of Qinzhou Port in Qinzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor saw over 1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), an increase of 72.5 percent year-on-year, being transported by the rail-sea intermodal freight trains as of Sept. 4 this year. (Xinhua/Zhang Ailin)

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 4, 2025 shows a container logistics center for rail of Qinzhou Port in Qinzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor saw over 1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), an increase of 72.5 percent year-on-year, being transported by the rail-sea intermodal freight trains as of Sept. 4 this year. (Xinhua/Zhang Ailin)

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 4, 2025 shows intelligent vehicles transporting containers at a container dock of Qinzhou Port in Qinzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor saw over 1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), an increase of 72.5 percent year-on-year, being transported by the rail-sea intermodal freight trains as of Sept. 4 this year. (Xinhua/Zhang Ailin)