China's top economic planner vows to advance high-quality development of China Railway Express

China's top economic planner said Tuesday that it will work to raise the quality, efficiency and security of the China Railway Express (CR Express), the rail service linking China with Europe and Belt and Road Initiative partner countries.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) will work to refine regulatory approaches and streamline inspection procedures to enhance transport efficiency, Zhou Haibing, deputy head of the commission, said at the second China Railway Express Cooperation Forum, which was held on Tuesday in Xi'an, capital city of northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

The commission will expand the use of advanced technologies, including big data and artificial intelligence, to boost innovation, and will work more closely with countries along routes to safeguard transport corridors and cargo, Zhou added.

The NDRC also plans to further integrate the rail service with trade, manufacturing, logistics and finance to promote high-quality China-Europe economic and trade cooperation, the official noted.

As a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative, the CR Express has built a comprehensive logistics network across Eurasia.

As of October 2025, the CR Express trains connecting China and European cities had operated some 118,600 trips, transporting 11.7 million twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEUs) of cargo. ■