The first freight train connecting North China's Hebei province to Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, arrives in a station in Hanoi on Aug 2, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

　　Hebei province is strengthening its role as a logistics hub for China-ASEAN trade, with the launch of an upgraded rail freight route aimed at streamlining cargo movement and cutting supply chain costs.

　　A freight train carrying castings, fasteners and grease products departed from Caozhuangzhen Freight Station in Handan on March 5, marking the official opening of a direct rail route linking to Vietnam. The route runs along the Hanhuang (Handan-Huanghua) Railway and connects the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region to Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital.

　　The service, as the province's first direct freight link to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations market this year, aims to streamline trade flows between North China and Southeast Asia while reducing logistics costs for regional businesses, according to local authorities.

　　“This direct route cuts transit time by one to two days, enhancing our competitive edge in Vietnam,“ said Gong Yanjie, general manager of Handan-based Aijia (Hebei) Supply Chain Management Co.

　　According to Gong, the first freight train comprised 27 containers valued at approximately $1.35 million, primarily sourced from enterprises in Handan and Xingtai, both cities in Hebei.

　　“While currently operating one-way, the next step is to introduce return cargo such as Vietnamese cassava starch and turmeric,“ Gong added.

　　The company, which operates within a bonded zone in Jize county, Handan, recently signed a cooperation memorandum with Vietnamese rail operators, establishing a new logistics channel and platform for Sino-Vietnamese trade.