Economic benefits

In addition to making a contribution that underpins the coronavirus battle, the rail connection between China and Europe has brought momentum to the resumption of economic activities across Eurasia by stabilizing trading activities and supply chains.

From January to May, the number of China-Europe freight trains surged by 28 percent year-on-year, while shipments rose by 32 percent, according to the China State Railway Group.

The freight trains made 1,033 trips in May, a year-on-year rise of 43 percent, and transported 93,000 TEUs, a record number for the line.

Benhami, from the French-Chinese friendship association, said the freight trains provide an opportunity to boost trade between France and China, adding that "the 'win-win' approach is very real for everyone, including the environment, businesses and consumers".

Xulio Rios, director of the Observatory of Chinese Politics in Spain, said the Yiwu-Madrid railway link offers an important route for cargo, from medical materials to everyday items, during the COVID-19 crisis.

From Santana's perspective, rail transportation from Asia is upgrading from moving small, low-cost goods to delivering items with added value as China is exporting related goods in greater quantities, such as watches, Bluetooth devices, automobile parts and electrical goods.

He added that top-end consumer goods－such as extra-virgin olive oil, wine and cured ham－are also brought from Spain to China by rail, with clear advantages of speed, environmental safety and low costs.

Laszlo Mosoczi, secretary of state for transport policy at the Hungarian Ministry of Innovation and Technology, said, "As a transit country, Hungary benefits from freight traffic from Asia to Europe, and Hungary can become the logistics center of the region."