People’s Republic of China is the world’s first economy. With a GDP of 25.5 trillion USD, China is the only country which, by the first quarter of 2021, has increased its export cargo volume by an incredible amount of 49 percent after the disastrous COVID-19 crisis. Not to mention, China is continuously achieving a tremendous GDP growth of 18.5 percent year by year.
Chinese production had long been ceased to be subpar, but as for nowadays, it has been completely reshaped and has even taken the big lead in such areas, as consumer and mobile electronics.
China's main trading partners are the United States of America, the European Union, Russian Federation and many other countries. Until 2011, practically all Chinese goods were transported by sea. The average delivery time for shipments to Europe and the US was estimated to be from 25 to 35 days. As for Russia, Chinese items took over the country not only via the docks of Vladivostok, St. Petersburg, but also though various European ports.
In 2011, the Government of China adopted the project of New Silk Road, which was believed of as unprecedented due to its scale and implementation, involving the development of direct railway container transportations from China directly to Europe through Russia and Kazakhstan. Due to the directly connecting railroad, about half of the delivery time is saved, therefore, leading to the significant speed increase of trade turnover. The Chinese authorities are beginning to allocate subsidies for container train shipments, compensating their companies a large part of the transportation cost. Additionally, if only 17 trains were sent in 2011, the number has reached more than 12.000 trains by 2020. The following data perfectly demonstrates a thousandfold increase in traffic volume through the span of 9 years.
