On April 4, 2021, with a whistle buzzing, a China-Europe train carrying 2,700 tons of ceramic tiles slowly departed from the bus station in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, and finally reached Almaty, Kazakhstan. This is the first Ili-Almaty international ceramic tile train.

Yili integrates into the Belt and Road Initiative

Ili Prefecture is located in the west of Xinjiang and borders Kazakhstan. In recent years, Yili Prefecture has actively supported enterprises to "go global" and expand the markets of neighboring countries along the Belt and Road. Build a processing base for westward export products, build a competitive industrial cluster and a competitive modern industrial system that "rely on the whole country, face Central Asia, and radiate Europe".

In this context, Yili prefecture building ceramic enterprises formed an industrial cluster in the "Yidong Industrial Park", and continuously improved product quality and visibility. While expanding the internal market in Xinjiang, many companies have gradually opened up markets in Central Asian countries relying on their geographic advantages.

According to Cao Zhongqin, director of the Economic Operation Department of the Ili Prefecture Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, the survey found that the building ceramics enterprises in Yidong Industrial Park have a large export volume of ceramic tiles. In order to support the continuous expansion of exports of ceramic enterprises in Yili Prefecture, and reduce the cost of cross-border logistics of products. Xinjiang Industry and Information Technology Department, China Railway Urumqi Bureau Group and Yili Prefecture Industry and Information Technology Bureau coordinated and organized the “Ili-Almaty International Ceramic Tile Train”.

Zhao Ruishan, deputy head of the Brekai station at Khorgos Station, said: “In the past, tiles were shipped in sporadic carriages, and tiles will be issued in shifts in the future. The station will provide the highest quality services to enterprises as much as possible to boost local economic development.” Editor/Tian Zengpeng