China-Europe Railway Stalls, Chinese Enterprises Turn to the Northern Route (North Sea Route)
Poland's Prime Minister Tusk recently announced that in response to the joint military exercises between Russia and Belarus, the border will be closed as a response to the security threat. Russia and Belarus hold the "West" joint exercises approximately every four years, aiming to simulate conflicts with NATO allies in Eastern Europe.
The Russian-Belarusian exercises started on the 12th and ended on the 16th. Several China-Europe train agents said that many containers bound for the EU are stranded at the border crossing of Malaszewicze between Poland and Belarus. Malaszewicze is an important gateway for China-Europe trains entering Europe, with about 90% of China-Europe trains passing through here before being distributed to over 200 cities in 26 European countries. Poland temporarily closed this port on September 12, citing the Russian-Belarusian joint military exercises as the reason.
The China-Europe Railway, which was launched in March 2011, is the flagship project of Sino-Polish and Sino-European cooperation. Poland is an important link in the three railway transport routes of the China-Europe Railway, through Belarus to reach other European countries. Media reports cited examples, stating that a platform company in Chengdu has suspended shipments to Europe since last Wednesday and is currently determining the cost of alternative sea freight solutions.
Notably, according to previous information from the Chinese shipping company Haijie Shipping Co., Ltd., Haijie Shipping will launch the "China-Europe Arctic Fast Route" on September 20. This route takes the Northeast Passage of the Arctic, connecting Chinese ports such as Qingdao, Shanghai, and Ningbo with British Felixstowe, Dutch Rotterdam, German Hamburg, and Polish Gdansk, shortening the journey from Ningbo Zhoushan Port to Felixstowe to just 18 days.
In response, Lin Jian, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, stated at a regular press conference last Friday, "In recent years, the international community has paid more attention to the potential of the Arctic shipping route. The Arctic shipping route has the potential to become an important route for international trade. China is willing to strengthen international cooperation with countries along the Arctic Ocean, including Russia, as well as other interested countries, in the construction and operation of Arctic shipping infrastructure, jointly promoting the development and utilization of the Arctic shipping route and environmental protection."
Source: rfi
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1843988426841545/
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