A China‑Europe Railway Express train passes Yiwu Railway Port in Yiwu, Zhejiang Province, June 1, 2026. (Photo: China News Service/Dong Yixin)

(ECNS) -- The Horgos Port in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has handled more than 6,000 China-Europe and China-Central Asia freight trains so far in 2025, transporting over 10 million metric tons of cargo.

This milestone was reached as a train loaded with engineering machinery, auto parts and home appliances departed the port. To boost efficiency, Horgos Customs and railway operators have launched a “smart port plus rapid local customs clearance” system for real-time data sharing. Supported by intelligent image inspection and pre-arrival scanning technologies, trains are cleared on arrival, cutting overall customs clearance time by over 50%.

The routes operating from Horgos now cover 91 lines reaching 18 countries and regions, handling more than 200 types of cargo. Combined freight volume across Xinjiang’s two major land gateways, Horgos and Alashankou, has surpassed 11,000 trains, marking a 5.9% year-on-year growth.

(By Intern Lin Qiaochu, Zhang Dongfang)