Railway Express to bolster economic development in Europe, foster stronger China-EU ties: expert

A China-Europe freight train carrying medical supplies bound for Madrid of Spain departs from the city of Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province, June 5, 2020. [Photo by Lyu Bin/Xinhua]

"The project creates new jobs, helps develop infrastructure, and gives Europeans the opportunity to better understand China," Pustovoytova wrote.

MOSCOW -- The China-Europe Railway Express plays a fundamental role in boosting trade and economic development in Europe and fosters closer cultural ties between China and the European continent, according to Elena Pustovoytova, an analyst at the Russian Strategic Culture Foundation.

In an article published on the website of the foundation, Pustovoytova studied the development of the China-Europe Railway Express and its positive impact on European cities.

Pustovoytova argued that the advancement of the railway and a rapid rise in rail freight between China and Europe made previously neglected European cities major international transportation hubs and logistics centers.

Duisburg, an example of such a city in Germany has now become a global logistics hub, that is "capable of influencing the economic situation in Central and Eastern Europe" through its multi-channel distribution system of goods, Pustovoytova wrote.

"The railway currently connects Germany with 50 Chinese cities and stretches through 168 cities in 23 countries in Asia and Europe," Pustovoytova wrote.

"The project creates new jobs, helps develop infrastructure, and gives Europeans the opportunity to better understand China," she wrote.

Alongside economic benefits, the development of the China-Europe Railway is fostering stronger cultural and educational ties between the Europeans and Chinese, with Chinese students studying in European universities, and many Europeans learning Chinese.