China - December 05, 2024 Yiwu-Madrid freight train service celebrates 10th anniversary (Voice_over) The Yiwu-Madrid freight train route that connects the world’s largest wholesale market for small commodities in China with a major European capital celebrates its tenth anniversary this November. The route was first established on November 18th, of 2014 and has since become a vital trade link between China and Europe, significantly boosting economic development in both regions. The line spans 13,000 kilometers with stops in Beijing, Paris and Barcelona, amongst others, and is one of the world's longest international rail cargo routes. Having worked for the freight train service since its inception, train driver Huang Wei recalls the moment he realized that the Yiwu-Madrid route would be a success. (Sound_bite) Huang Wei, Train driver, Yiwu-Madrid route of China-Europe freight train service： "When the first train on the route returned to Yiwu from Madrid, it brought back wine in constant-temperature containers, which was the first time I had seen them. When I saw this container appear in the train behind my locomotive, I thought this line was a success! The timeliness and safety of our China-Europe trains can fully meet all cargo transportation requirements.” (Voice_over) Since its launch in 2014, the annual number of China-Europe freight train trips from Yiwu to Madrid has climbed from 23 to more than 1,100, with the annual cargo value going up from 92 million U.S. dollars to about 2.6 billion. [Restriction: No access Chinese mainland]