In recent years, Gansu Province has accelerated its efforts to build a multidimensional, high-quality opening-up corridor integrating land, air, and digital channels. As a key node of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the New Western Land-Sea Corridor, Gansu is transforming its geographic and resource advantages into new drivers of growth.
Foreign trade experience surge
In 2024, Gansu’s total import and export volume reached 61.54 billion yuan ($8.57 billion), up 25.2 percent year-on-year — the fastest growth nationwide. In the first quarter of 2025, foreign trade rose 49.4 percent to 19.47 billion yuan, with both imports and exports ranking second in the country.
Rail connectivity expands westward
In April, at the International Land Port of Gansu (Lanzhou), the “China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan” multimodal freight service was officially launched, marking a new phase in westbound logistics. Currently, Gansu has opened international train routes in six directions, linking over 20 countries and 30 cities.
The Gansu (Wuwei) International Land Port has also established 11 international rail lines, with 233 trains dispatched and 3.31 billion yuan in total cargo value.
In 2024, a total of 153 international freight trains carrying 7,186 containers were dispatched from Gansu, along with an additional 1,683 containers shipped separately. The total cargo value reached $1.25 billion, doubling year-on-year. Among them, 46 outbound trains to Europe and Central Asia were launched, also achieving a twofold increase.
Air freight capacity strengthened
Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport is developing into a key aviation hub in Northwest China. In April, the all-cargo route between Lanzhou and Tashkent resumed operations, boosting regional logistics for cross-border e-commerce and cold-chain industries. In 2024, the airport handled 17 million passengers and 86,000 tons of cargo. It has operated 181 passenger routes and 11 cargo routes.
Efforts to integrate aviation with rail and road networks have led to the establishment of a multi-modal logistics system. Lanzhou is also building a “48-hour global delivery” network to expand its air freight reach to Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and beyond.
Port platforms enhance trade competitiveness
Gansu is optimizing its customs clearance services and expanding bonded logistics capabilities. At Lanzhou’s logistics parks and bonded zones, commodities like grains, minerals, electronics, and timber are processed and re-exported. A new “single-window” mechanism for round-the-clock customs declaration and fast-track clearance has greatly improved efficiency.
In 2024, international air cargo volume at Lanzhou Airport reached a record 4,848 tons, up 99 percent year-on-year.
Vehicle exports and trade diversification
Since the launch of the JSQ container car train service in October 2024, Gansu has become a major distribution hub for Chinese-made vehicles headed to Central Asia and Europe. Over 11,000 vehicles have been exported to date.
Meanwhile, Gansu has diversified its trade portfolio by introducing Central Asian barley, Lao tapioca starch, and tropical fruits like durians and dragon fruit. Exports of wind turbines, solar products, and new energy vehicles are also growing rapidly.
In 2025, Gansu will further expand into markets of BRI countries, strengthen the export of energy equipment and green technologies, and support the development of cross-border e-commerce. It will continue to integrate logistics, trade, and industry to build a globally connected, high-efficiency trade corridor.
(Executive editor: Yuan Ting)
