【By Guo Jian, Observer Net】Poland's closure of the border once forced the China-Europe Railway Express to be suspended. The situation has now turned around.

According to a report by the Financial Times on September 23, after closing for nearly two weeks due to security concerns, Poland decided to reopen its border checkpoints with Belarus, meaning the main overland trade route from China to Europe has been restored.

According to Polish Prime Minister Tusk, the checkpoint will reopen at midnight local time on the 24th. He also implied that if threats reappear, Poland may close the transit point again.

On the 12th of this month, due to the "West-2025" joint strategic exercise, Poland closed all border checkpoints between Poland and Belarus. Although the military exercise ended on the 16th, the Polish Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration, Marcin Kierzkowski, announced at a press conference that all border checkpoints between Poland and Belarus (including roads and railways) would remain closed indefinitely until "the safety of Polish citizens is fully guaranteed."

This decision directly cut off the important land transport channel for Chinese goods entering the EU through Russia-Belarus-Poland. According to an estimate by the European Rail Freight Association, currently 85%–90% of China-Europe railway freight passes through Poland into the EU, which means about 300 trains loaded with electronic products, auto parts, photovoltaic components, and other goods are stuck in Belarus, and the comprehensive cost of the supply chain has increased by more than 15%.

Tusk said on the 23rd that Poland will reopen the checkpoint at midnight on the 24th. "This measure has already achieved its purpose." He also hinted that if threats reappear, Poland might close the transit point again. "We can still use this tool. If tensions escalate, we will not hesitate to use it again."

Although the military exercise has ended, the closure of the border was extended after NATO shot down a Russian drone that entered Polish airspace.

Tusk said that NATO allies have strengthened their presence in the region, and a military operation called "Eastern Sentinel" has "increased a sense of security."

The road checkpoint at Borovce-Pishtyatska between Poland and Belarus

With the development of Chinese e-commerce platforms, the volume of freight via the China-Europe Railway Express has surged. PKP Cargo, a major Polish state-owned rail freight company, warned that prolonged closures could lead to freight being rerouted southward through Central Asia and the Black Sea region, causing economic losses to Poland.

The report states that Chinese traders said the closure of the checkpoint caused their goods to be detained. "Many customers who usually prefer rail transport had to choose sea freight instead," said a representative of a logistics company in Shenzhen before the checkpoint reopened. He said that rail transport from China to Europe takes about 30 days, while sea freight takes 40 to 50 days.

The Treboł - Brest railway checkpoint used by Chinese exporters was one of several railway and road checkpoints that were closed before the exercise and will now be reopened.

According to data from the Polish Road Transport Agency, approximately 1,500 trucks and buses were stranded on the Belarusian side last week due to the checkpoint closure. At the same time, trains from China were stuck at the Brest station.

The report says that the decision to close the border has also sparked speculation that Poland and Europe may be trying to use this as a way to pressure China, in response to alleged "Chinese support for Russia." Since the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict, Chinese companies have been filling the market gaps left by Western companies leaving Russia.

Philippe Iruash, a China analyst at the University of Basel, said although the closure of the checkpoint may anger China, it is unlikely to significantly change China's strategic direction regarding relations with Russia.

China has repeatedly emphasized that in the issue of the Ukraine crisis, China has always maintained an objective and fair position, actively promoting peace talks. Most countries, including the US and Europe, are conducting trade with Russia. Normal business cooperation between Chinese and Russian enterprises complies with WTO rules and market principles, does not target third parties, and should not be interfered with or affected by third parties.

According to the website of the President of Belarus, on September 22, Belarusian President Lukashenko held talks with a senior Chinese official to discuss related issues. Lukashenko believed that Poland's recent actions are unfriendly to China and a political move, but he believes that "a great power like China can easily deal with this issue."

During the interruption of the China-Europe Railway Express, the fourth plenary session of the China-Poland Governmental Cooperation Committee was held on the 15th in Warsaw. Foreign Minister Wang Yi of the People's Republic of China and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sikorski of the Republic of Poland jointly presided over the meeting.

The two sides exchanged views on the importance of developing an efficient and economically competitive Eurasian transportation corridor and the key role Poland plays in it. Both sides recognized the benefits of providing mutual services in railway, maritime, and air freight, as well as strengthening existing and potential transport lines and logistics chains, and agreed to jointly ensure the safety and smoothness of the China-Europe Railway Express route.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian had previously emphasized at a regular press briefing that the China-Europe Railway Express is a flagship project of China-Poland and China-Europe cooperation, which is in line with the common interests of both sides. It is hoped that Poland will take effective measures to ensure the safe and smooth passage of the train and maintain the stability of the international industrial and supply chains.

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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7553446963581895168/

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