Kazakhstan’s Transport Ministry hosted the first meeting of the working group on cargo transportation along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route between Kazakhstan and China, Kazinform News Agency reports.

According to the ministry's press service, the sides discussed and agreed on the projected volumes of cargo flow from China along the TITR on from China to Europe and back until the end of 2029. Through joint efforts, the parties are set to raise the volume of transportation along the TITR in 2025-2026 to 600 container trains each year, to 1,000 in 2027, and to 2,000 in 2029.

On top of that, the Kazakh side will take measures to build appropriate infrastructure in the domestic ports to ensure timely transportation of containers and prevention of delays.

Thus, it is projected that at least 50 thousand standard containers will be transshipped per year in 2025. In 2026-2029, this figure is expected to increase to at least 85 thousand containers per year.

“Today we are actively working to ensure transit flows between Europe, Central Asia and China. In 2023, the volume of cargo transportation amounted to 2.76 million tons, which is 65% more than in 2022 (1.7 million tons),” the Kazakh side noted.

Kazakhstan is currently implementing a number of projects on its section of the route, such as the construction of the second track on the Dostyk-Moiynty railway section, Almaty bypass railway, and the new Darbaza-Maktaaral railway line between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

Measures are also taken to develop capacity of the Aktau and Kuryk seaports. A container hub is set to be built in the Aktau Port, which will let additionally increase the volume of transportation to 300,000 TEU per year. A grain terminal will be commissioned in the Kuryk Port this year.

Sarzha multifunctional terminal is under construction as well.

The working group expressed confidence that these measures will increase the throughput capacity of Kazakhstan's ports to 30 million tons per year (+ 10 million tons).

Demand for air cargo travel reached record levels since the beginning of the year in July, with strong growth across all regions, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Overall demand was up 13.6% from 2023, marking the eighth consecutive month of double-digit growth. At the same time, cargo capacity increased by 8.3%, mainly due to growth in baggage capacity on passenger flights and freighters. Despite this, baggage hold capacity growth was the lowest in the last 40 months, while freight capacity growth peaked from January 2024. Global trade and a thriving e-commerce market are contributing to this growth. At the regional level, African airlines posted the lowest demand growth at 6.2% year-on-year, with demand in the Africa-Asia market increasing by 15.4%.

The annual Sun Island Entrepreneurs' Conference was held from August 22 to 24 in Harbin, the administrative center of Heilongjiang Province. The main topic of discussion at the conference was the new quality of productive forces.

The conference, which focused on seeking innovative development in the context of comprehensively deepening reform and striving to develop new-quality productive forces in accordance with local conditions, attracted more than 1,000 participants.

Xu Qin, secretary of Heilongjiang Provincial CPC Committee, said at the main forum of the event on Saturday that Heilongjiang is accelerating the construction of an innovative region by building advanced technological innovation systems and modern industrial systems.

Addressing the forum, Fu Hua, director-general of Xinhua News Agency, said that as a state-run news agency and a new-type think tank with Chinese characteristics, Xinhua continues to expand research, interpretation and dissemination of topics related to new-quality productive forces.

Fu Hua urged the conference participants to exchange knowledge and ideas, and make valuable suggestions for the development of new-quality productive forces, which will help achieve new breakthroughs in the comprehensive revitalization of Northeast China in the new era.

The three-day event was jointly organized by Xinhua and the Harbin City Government.

China will impose export restrictions on antimony- and superhard materials-related commodities from Sept. 15, according to a statement jointly released Thursday by China's Ministry of Commerce and the country's General Administration of Customs.

The document noted that some products related to antimony and superhard materials cannot be exported without authorization.

The move is aimed at protecting national security as well as fulfilling non-proliferation and other international obligations, the document said.

“It is international practice to implement export controls on antimony, superhard materials and other related items,” a Commerce Ministry spokesperson said in an online statement.

The statement noted that the export controls do not target any specific country or region. China will authorize exports that comply with relevant regulations.

According to the statement, the Chinese government firmly protects world peace and the stability of neighboring regions, ensures the security of global production and supply chains, and promotes trade in accordance with regulations.

At the same time, the Chinese government opposes any countries or regions using China's controlled goods to carry out activities that undermine China's national sovereignty, security and development interests, the statement said.

We are happy to share the news.

Last week we joined the JCTRANS association.

JCtrans, a network of global logistics companies and independent freight forwarders, founded in 2003 to build strong, reliable partnerships and business development in the logistics industry, unites more than 10,400 member companies from 168 countries.

We are evolving and getting better for you!