News
First China-Europe freight train makes 10,000 trips
By QiuHaifeng, People’s Daily
A cargo train, fully loaded with electronic products, mechanical parts and daily necessities, which departed from southwest China’s Chongqing municipality on June 23, and arrived in Germany’s Duisburg on July 11.
This marked the 10,000th trip made by China-Europe freight trains operated by the China-Europe Railway Express (Chongqing), the first of its kind in China.
China-Europe freight trains have bucked the trend and witnessed rapid growth this year. They offer a strong support for the global industrial and supply chains with stable, reliable and efficient logistics services despite impeded global circulation and insufficient transport capacity, making positive contributions to stabilizing global trade and promoting global economic recovery.
On July 7, a China-Europe freight train loaded with steels and other cargos departed from Huangshi, central China’s Hubei province for Duisburg. As the first cargo route linking the two cities, the Huangshi-Duisburg cargo line has opened a new land channel for economic and trade exchanges between them and is able to transport nearly 200,000 tons of cargos on an annual basis.
“We shipped 500 tons of special steels via the train. Compared with maritime transport, it saved us nearly a month. Our delivery has become much more efficient,” said Li Jie, head of the foreign trade department of a special steel manufacturer.
According to Li, the route reduces not only the time of transport, but also transhipment, which lowers both logistics cost and the risk of cargo damage, and at the same time increases enterprises’ competitiveness.
After years of development, China-Europe freight trains have maintained a sound momentum for regular and large-scale operation.
Statistics indicate that China-Europe freight trains made 15,183 trips in 2021, up from 1,702 in 2016, with an annual average growth of 55 percent. The value of goods transported by the cargo service skyrocketed from $8 billion in to $74.9 billion during the same period.
In the first half of this year, 7,473 trips were made by the cargo service, carrying 720,000 twenty-foot equivalent units. In each of the past 26 months, over 1,000 trips were made by China-Europe freight trains.
At present, the cargo service extends to more than 180 cities in some 20 European countries, forming an extensive Eurasian logistics network.
The development of China-Europe freight trains is mirrored by not only the growing cargo volume, but also a boom in the quality of the logistics services they provide.
There has been a prominent increase in the number of loaded containers carried by China-Europe freight trains, and the numbers of departing and returning trips are getting more balanced.
According to statistics, the overall proportion of fully loaded containers carried by China-Europe freight trains increased from 77.2 percent in 2016 to 98.1 percent in 2021, and the figure has been maintained at around 98 percent for both departing and returning trips since this year.
Mobile phones, laptops and other electronics products made up the majority of cargos carried by China-Europe freight trains when the cargo service was just launched. Today, the service transports over 50,000 types of products, including auto parts, automobiles, chemicals, electromechanical equipment, food, alcohol and wood.
Last year, the ratio of returning trains to departing trains increased 3.8 percentage points to 81.5 percent, which was more than 30 percentage points higher than that in 2016. The numbers of returning and departing trips between major hubs have been basically equal this year.
Despite COVID-19 resurgences, China-Europe freight trains maintained safe and stable operation, sending Chinese anti-pandemic materials to the European countries and building a “bridge of life.” Last year, the cargo service carried 4.23 million anti-pandemic items weighing 29,000 tons. The two figures had hit 14.1 million and 108,000, respectively, as of the end of April this year.
“After years of development, during which the cargo service has withstood the test of COVID-19 and the changing international situation, the value and economic significance of China-Europe freight trains have been widely recognized by countries and regions along the rail routes,” said Li Dawei, a researcher with the Institute of International Economic Research at the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research. He said the cargo service is becoming a major trade channel co-constructed and co-protected by countries and regions along its route.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to maintain the status quo in a dispute over the party’s candidates emerging from the Benue State APC primaries for the 2027 general election.
The order was made on Thursday by Justice Inyang Ekwo during proceedings in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1429/2026, filed by Engr. Sesugh Akaagba and other aggrieved APC candidates from Benue State against the APC and INEC.
The plaintiffs had, through an ex parte motion filed on July 5, 2026, sought six interim reliefs, including an order restraining the APC from substituting its validly nominated candidates in Benue State through its June 29, 2026 correspondence, or any subsequent communication, to INEC, pending determination of the substantive suit.
They also sought an order compelling the APC to immediately transmit to INEC the names of candidates validly nominated during the primaries monitored by the electoral commission.
When the matter first came up on July 8, 2026, the court declined to grant the interim application immediately, directing both APC and INEC to appear and respond before any decision was taken. The matter was adjourned to July 16.
At Thursday’s proceedings, counsel representing the APC and INEC were present in court, while the plaintiffs were represented by Mohammed Ndarani, SAN, alongside his legal team.
In his ruling, Justice Ekwo held that since issues had been joined by the parties particularly with INEC now before the court, the defendants were required by law to preserve the subject matter of the litigation pending determination of the substantive suit.
When counsel to the plaintiffs urged the court to caution APC and INEC against taking any further action that could affect the disputed list of candidates, the judge responded that it was “not a matter of advice but of law,” stressing that the defendants were bound to maintain the status quo.
The court consequently restrained APC and INEC from taking any action capable of altering the disputed list of candidates pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
The defendants did not object to the restraining order.
At the commencement of proceedings, the court noted that all parties had voluntarily submitted to its jurisdiction by duly filing and exchanging their respective processes.
It held that there was no procedural or jurisdictional impediment to the expeditious determination of the substantive action, and directed that the matter be heard without further delay.
In furtherance of the objective of preserving the res and safeguarding the efficacy of the judicial process, the court ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and final determination of the substantive suit, restraining any act or omission capable of prejudicing the rights of the parties or rendering the proceedings nugatory.
The court further directed that INEC be served forthwith with the originating and all consequential processes.
The effect of the subsisting order is that INEC is restrained from tampering with the existing list of candidates pending final determination of the suit, and from receiving, recognising, or acting upon any purported substituted list of National Assembly candidates from Benue State submitted by the APC.
The matter was adjourned to July 21, 2026, for hearing of the substantive suit.
Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and former First Lady Patience Ibifaka Jonathan recently celebrated a significant family milestone as they attended the graduation ceremony of their son, Ariara Goodluck Jonathan, at Manchester Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom.
The proud parents joined family members and well-wishers to witness Ariara receive his degree, marking the successful completion of his academic programme. The occasion was filled with joy as the Jonathan family commemorated the achievement, highlighting the importance they place on education and personal development.
The graduation ceremony attracted warm congratulatory messages from friends, associates, and admirers, who wished the graduate continued success in his future endeavours.
The Following names joined the political family of Sen. Dr. George Akume today after leaving the sinking Alia ship .
Under the leadership of Barr. Emmanuel Jime .
The are ;
Chief Nelson Alapa
Douglas pepe SAN senatorial Aspirant zone A,
Engr Peter Ashiekaa
QS Clement Beetseh
Former commissioners
Joy Luga
Ann itodo
Barr martins Shaagee
Miss Dorcas
Prof Usar Joseh
Prof Cephas Tushima
Chief Patrick Idoko
Hon Patience Akor
Hon Fred Idoko
Hon Lawrence Ekpo Onoja Jnr
Hon Andrew Abah
Hon Agbo Innocent Ikwumonu
Hon Simon Omachoko
Hon David Egboja
Dr John Garba
Among together,
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