At 03:55 a.m. on May 25 (Beijing time), with the whistle of the X8155 train, the broadcasting equipment used by China Media Group (CMG) for the Paris Olympic Games officially departed from Xi'an, the starting point of the Silk Road.

Transport scene

The equipment transported this time is mainly the broadcasting and reporting equipment used by CMG for the Paris Olympic Games, involving advanced technological equipment and components such as media servers, advertising machines, screens, lighting controllers, and studio desks. This marked the first time CMG used the CRE for transporting Olympic broadcasting equipment, and also the first time to transport the equipment by a fixed timetable CRE train to Duisburg Port in Germany, and then to designated venues for Paris Olympic Games in France through rail-road combined transport, with a total transit time of about 16 days.

BOZ Logistics, a subsidiary of ITL Group, is responsible for the transportation. To ensure the smooth and efficient completion of this task, with the strong support of the Administrative Committee of Xi'an Chanba International Port, China Railway Xi'an Group Co., Ltd., and Xi'an Customs District P.R.China, BOZ Logistics actively communicated and cooperated with Xi'an Station Customs, China Railway Container Transport Corp. Ltd. (CRCT) Xi'an Branch, China Railway International Multimodal Transport Co., Ltd. (CRIMT) Xi'an Branch, and CRIntermodal Xi'an Railway Container Terminal, tailored logistics transportation plans, optimized cargo loading plans, and rail-road combined transport plans, and meticulously overseeing crucial parts like container arrival, entry, loading, inspection, and release, ensuring timely delivery of the broadcasting equipment to the Paris Olympic Games by taking a fixed timetable CRE train.

The year 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. This "Silk Road Express" from Xi'an continuously strengthens the 60-year friendship and mutual economic and trade benefits between the two nations.

It is reported that the fixed timetable CRE train carrying the broadcasting equipment for the Paris Olympic Games was operated by Xi'an International Inland Port Multimodal Transportation Co., Ltd. In strict accordance with the standard of station dwell time, this train has adopted the principle of "giving priority to marshaling, coupling and departure", which effectively shortens the operation time of all sections of CRE trains, reduces the invalid dwell time when reloading at port stations, and ensures that each segment is completed on schedule, achieving two outbound and one inbound trip per week with a total transit time of under 12 days. Meanwhile, BOZ Logistics of ITL Group has introduced new LCL transport services based on a fixed timetable train, significantly enhancing the overall quality and market competitiveness of the CRE, and benefiting more export enterprises.

This successful shipment of CMG Paris Olympic Games Broadcasting Equipment via a fixed timetable CRE train also signifies the gradual integration of rail, sea, and road transport, complementing each mode's strengths and helping more Chinese enterprises reach international markets. ITL Group will continue to advance, striving to enhance the welfare of people in both countries and the world.

On April 25, Xi’an International Inland Port Investment & Development Group (ITL Group) signed a strategic cooperation agreement with South Korea’s LX Pantos. The two parties held discussions focused on further deepening cooperation, enhancing the high-quality development of the China Railway Express (Xi’an), and establishing a Central and Eastern European logistics hub in Hungary.

The two parties will jointly establish a logistics hub station for the China Railway Express (Xi’an) servicing Central and Eastern Europe, located in Hungary. This hub will include container yards, rail facilities, logistics storage, and various other services. Simultaneously, efforts will be made to enhance various types of transportation services within the European Union, including inland railways and trucking.

Hungary, situated in the central region of Europe, is a key member of the Belt and Road Initiative. The establishment of this logistics hub will propel the outbound expansion of China’s automotive industry into the heart of Europe, catering to the diverse needs of customers. It will also create new growth opportunities for the China Railway Express (Xi’an) service, while further promoting commercial and trade exchanges as well as positive interactions between Shaanxi and the Central European region.

Qu Jinwei, Party Secretary and Chairman of ITL Group; Zhai Ruopeng, Deputy General Manager of ITL Group; and Lee Ha-hyeong, Head of International Railway Affairs at LX Pantos, attended the event and served as witnesses to the agreement signing. The cooperation agreement was signed by Shao Boer, General Manager of Xi’an International Inland Port Multimodal Transportation Co., Ltd., and Hyeong Gapsu, Head of Operations in China at LX Pantos, representing their respective entities.

LX PANTOS is a global multinational conglomerate established in 1977, with its headquarters located in Seoul, South Korea. LX PANTOS primarily engages in combined freight forwarding, warehousing, transportation, GSP, customs clearance, and insurance agency services. It operates over 70 branch companies worldwide, spanning Asia, Europe, North America, and Africa. Since its inception, LX PANTOS has evolved into a comprehensive logistics enterprise, offering a full range of services across all logistics sectors, including customs clearance and warehousing. Currently, LX PANTOS has established over 20 wholly-owned subsidiaries or offices in various locations across China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tianjin, Dalian, Shenyang, Qingdao, Nanjing, Shenzhen, and Taipei.

In recent years, ITL Group has been actively developing the Budapest market in Hungary. It has developed several route products, including the "China Railway Express (Chang’an) Central and Eastern Europe Route", "China Railway Express (Xi’an–Budapest) ‘Shacman’ First Train", "Budapest–Xi’an Return Public Train", "China Railway Express BYD Project (Xi’an–Budapest, Hungary)", and "China Railway Express (Xi’an) Hanoi, Vietnam–Xi’an, China– Budapest, Hungary" Cross-border Road-rail Multimodal Transport Train".

Looking ahead, ITL Group will continue to push for a "dual improvement" in the operational quality and efficiency of the China Railway Express (Xi’an). It plans to efficiently operate full-schedule special trains and constantly explore to diversify routes. By incorporating multifaceted approaches such as table trolleys, rail-road combined transport, and sea-rail combined transport, it aims to build a comprehensive modern logistics system. Always adhering to a customer-centric approach, ITL Group strives to achieve high-quality development of the China Railway Express (Xi’an) Collaboration Center, to contribute ITL strength to Xi’an’s comprehensive opening-up and the creation of a reform and opening-up frontier in the inland regions.

On November 30, 2023, as a pioneer in promoting green transportation and green warehousing of global cross-border railways, ITL Group participated in the China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE).

It is reported that more than 1,100 representatives from political, business, and other academic circles of more than 90 countries, regions, and international organizations attended the expo opening ceremony themed "Connecting the World for a Shared Future". Chinese Premier Li Qiang attended the opening ceremony of the First China International Supply Chain Expo & Global Supply Chain Innovation and Development Forum and delivered a keynote speech. He stated that CISCE is the world’s first national exhibition with the theme of supply chains. The first CISCE integrates the functions of trade promotion, investment cooperation, innovation agglomeration, and learning and exchanges. It focuses on promoting the connection between upstream, midstream, and downstream supply chains, the integration of large, medium, and small enterprises, the coordination of industries, schools, research, and application, and the interaction between Chinese and foreign enterprises, aiming to build a new platform for promoting high-level opening-up and promote the new practice of creating an open world economy. Zhai Ruopeng, Deputy General Manager of ITL Group, attended the Global Supply Chain Innovation and Development Forum and discussed "sustainable development of supply chain management".

Relying on core supporting platforms such as Xi’an Railway Container Center Station and Xi’an Comprehensive Bonded Zone, ITL Group, as the entity for the investment, development, construction, and operation of Xi’an Port, has formed an opening-up pattern based on China Railway Express (Chang’an) and first-class open ports and created a China inland port development model of "port moving backward, handling orders on the spot, multi-modal transportation, and seamless connection", providing efficient trade channels for different types of enterprises.

ITL Group develops supply chain solutions by innovative means to continuously improve the operation quality and efficiency of cross-border trains, meets customers’ requirements for carbon emission reduction based on whole-process green supply chain services, and constantly improves the market-oriented operation ability of cross-border trains with the focus on serving customers’ personalized needs.

ITL Group will continue to promote high-quality cooperation in building the Belt and Road Initiative, consolidate and strengthen global industrial chain and supply chain cooperation, focus on "customer needs", be committed to making global cross-border transportation more efficient, greener and more stable, and contribute to the steady operation and development of global industrial chain and supply chain!

On November 17, 2023, Qu Jinwei, Chairman of ITL Group, was invited to attend the 2023 BYD New Core Supplier Convention.

During the convention, the delegation of ITL Group visited BYD Group’s exhibition hall and global bidding center to learn about BYD’s development history, patented technologies, star products, and bidding process on the spot. After that, ITL Group attended a symposium with BYD and had an in-depth exchange on the direction of cooperation between the two sides in 2024. At the symposium, BYD highly affirmed the service quality of ITL Group over the past two years and expressed the hope for further deepening cooperation in 2024 to achieve mutual benefits and win-win results.
It is reported that ITL Group has reached cooperation with BYD in railway, shipping, and other fields.
In the future, ITL Group will continue to optimize its services and deepen cooperation to help domestic automobile brands compete in the international market.

On November 16, 2023, the "Belt and Road" National (Regional) Fair for Trade in Services Cooperation of the Seventh Silk Road International Exposition and the Investment and Trade Forum for Cooperation between East and West China was held at Xi’an International Convention and Exhibition Center.

The "Belt and Road" National (Regional) Fair for Trade in Services Cooperation was hosted by the People’s Government of Shaanxi Province and undertaken by the Shaanxi Provincial Department of Commerce and Xi’an Municipal People’s Government. Representatives of departments, organizations, and institutions from the Ministry of Commerce, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Central Asia, and the Middle East shared their achievements in cooperation on trade in services under the Belt and Road Initiative and discussed future development trends.

Nearly 100 Chinese and international experts, scholars, and entrepreneurs attended the fair to discuss topics such as building a gateway for connectivity, opening-up, and cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, activating the new engine of the "Digital Silk Road" through digital trade, supporting the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative in the field of professional services, and new highlights of cultural trade under the Belt and Road Initiative. Zhai Ruopeng, Deputy General Manager of ITL Group, was invited to attend the dialogue session.

As the entity for the development, construction, and operation of "Xi’an Port", as well as the operation platform of China Railway Express (Xi’an), ITL Group has built a three-dimensional international multi-modal transportation logistics system with "Xi’an Port" and "China Railway Express (Xi’an)" at the core, linking sea transportation, air transportation, highways, and other transportation methods. It has "established an international trade channel with high efficiency, low cost, and excellent service in inland areas" to serve foreign trade enterprises to go global and promote the export-oriented economic development of Shaanxi Province.

More Efficient

China Railway Express (Xi’an) always aims to improve the operation level and quality, and constantly pursues shorter transit time, higher delivery frequency, and more reliable whole-process logistics services.

ITL Group will strive to improve the operation efficiency of China Railway Express (Xi’an), expand its coverage to more European countries, and build it into the fastest, most stable, and most customer-satisfied super freight high-speed railway of China-Europe lines.

Greener

China Railway Express (Xi’an) takes the continuous pursuit of green trains as its requirement and commitment to customers.

ITL Group will work with its partners to extend the whole-process new energy to both ends to the maximum extent through supply chain services, so as to realize green transportation and green warehousing.

More Integrated

Relying on China Railway Express (Xi’an), ITL Group has established a passage between Xi’an and important ports, airports, and logistics hubs in China, linked various transportation modes such as sea transportation, air transportation, and highways, seamlessly connected to the global shipping system, and built a three-dimensional international multi-modal transportation logistics system.

ITL Group will further increase the proportion of whole-process multi-modal transportation, improve the supply chain’s upstream and downstream service levels, help enterprises save costs and improve efficiency to the greatest extent, and make due contributions to the safety and stability of the global supply chain.

ITL Group has continuously focused on the high-quality development of China Railway Express (Chang’an) and the high-quality construction of the Assembly Center, so as to build a three-dimensional interconnected network, create a more efficient, greener, and more integrated international multi-modal transportation logistics system, and contribute to Shaanxi’s deep integration into the Belt and Road Initiative, acceleration of opening-up, and construction of an inland reform and opening-up hub!