A X8020 China-Europe freight train loaded with 100 twenty-foot equivalent units of goods, including solar photovoltaic modules, textile products, plush toys, and sweeping robots, departed from the Yiwu railway port on June 30 for Madrid, capital of Spain.

It was the first Yiwu-Xinjiang-Europe freight train to complete a newly implemented quick customs clearance process for exports from Yiwu, which was also the 808th Yiwu-Xinjiang-Europe freight train launched from the city this year.

At the same time, a Yiwu-Xinjiang-Europe freight train with imported goods entered the country from the Alashankou Port in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. The loaded goods were declared in advance under the quick customs clearance process, which is first of its kind for imported goods of Zhejiang province.

After the outbreak of COVID-19, major restrictions were imposed on international air and sea transportation. As a result, express railway has become a major artery for transport by land.

To further improve international logistics, the General Administration of Customs developed a new customs supervision model under which clearance procedures have been simplified to enhance efficiency.

Railway operators can apply for the service and then provide a digital manifest of the cargo to customs officials for review in advance.

Before the new procedure was adopted, customs officers had to confirm all senders and receivers of cargo and their agents. Under the new model, only railway operators require verification.

So far, the Yiwu platform of the Yiwu-Xinjiang-Europe freight train has operated more than 4,210 trains carrying more than 345,000 TEUs of goods, and has opened 17 direct international railway freight train lines covering more than 50 countries and 160 cities.