NANCHANG, April 19 (Xinhua) -- At first light, an eastern Chinese logistics hub is already operating in full swing. Cranes and trucks can be seen passing containers back and forth, and fully loaded freight trains set off for various destinations. This bustling scene unfolds daily at Nanchang International Land Port (NILP) in Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi Province. On one train, vehicles are loaded for transport to Nansha Port in the coastal city of Guangzhou, from where they will be shipped around the world. "All declaration, inspection and approval procedures have been completed at the NILP for these vehicles," said Leng Zhiqiang, director of the local port-economy development department. "Upon arrival at Guangzhou, they can be shipped immediately, without having to undergo additional checks." China has made strides in promoting cross-regional customs clearance integration in recent years, as part of its efforts to bolster connectivity. By linking itself more closely with major coastal ports, the NILP has exemplified these efforts. "Port cities like Guangzhou, Ningbo and Xiamen are very busy, often resulting in lengthy clearance delays," Leng said. "As inland and coastal ports integrate into a single system, containers can now finish the clearance process well in advance at the NILP, greatly reducing transport time and costs." Benefiting from the streamlined clearance process, Nanchang-based automaker Jiangling Motors Group Co., Ltd. saw its exports surpass 100,000 cars in 2023 -- a 54 percent jump year on year, company data shows. In addition to the alignment of logistics rules, China's Ministry of Transport has pledged to accelerate the construction of various international logistics channels to improve global connectivity, particularly connectivity with neighbouring countries. The construction of such channels has already brought remarkable benefits to foreign trade. "Previously, delivering our fertilizers to Southeast Asian countries involved both rail and sea transport," said Gao Hui, chairman of Jiangxi Zhanhong Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. "The entire journey took half a month." Since the launch of the China-Laos Railway, which provides direct transit from inland Chinese regions to Southeast Asia, the fertilizer producer has seen its transport time slashed by half, Gao said. Thanks to improving logistics, the company's annual exports expanded 25-fold from 2020 to 2023, he said. It plans to access the European market by utilizing China-Europe freight train services. Various inland regions of China are seeking gateways to the global market. The country's hilly southwestern regions, for example, including Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and Chongqing, are capitalizing on the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor to facilitate international trade. The corridor is a multimodal network combining rail, road and sea transport that was established by China and Southeast Asian countries. In February, a specialized cold-chain service commenced operations between Chongqing, Laos and Thailand. It delivers fresh tropical produce to Chongqing's markets, and carries a variety of hotpot ingredients to households across Southeast Asia. Data from the National Development and Reform Commission shows that China's social logistics rose 5.2 percent year on year to 352.4 trillion yuan (about 49.6 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2023. Looking ahead, Gao said his company will increase investment in technological research and innovation, aiming to improve the quality of its fertilizer products. "This is all owing to our cost savings achieved through efficient transport and logistics," he said. "We are fully prepared to expand our global presence and launch products that better meet the demand of overseas markets," he added.

（Editor:Fu Bo）