As the global trade landscape is being reshaped, a freight train loaded with castings and fasteners departed from Jize County, Hebei Province, heading straight for Hanoi, Vietnam. This marks Hebei Province's first direct international freight train to ASEAN in 2025, signaling a new phase in trade cooperation between China and ASEAN.
Since its trial operation in May 2024, China-ASEAN freight trains have made 22 trips, transporting 176 standard containers of goods, with fasteners being a key category. Known as the "joints of industry," fasteners are in high demand in ASEAN's booming manufacturing sector. For example, Vietnam's growing automotive, electronics, and construction industries have driven up the annual demand for fasteners by over 15%. Leveraging its complete industrial chain and cost-effective products, China has become a major supplier.
Rail transport has slashed the transit time from 20-30 days (by sea) to 7-10 days, significantly improving delivery efficiency and reducing capital turnover costs. A Hebei-based fastener company reported that after the train service launched, its order response speed increased by nearly 40%, leading to higher customer satisfaction and increased orders from ASEAN buyers.
This success is a result of multi-party collaboration. The government implemented a "one declaration, one inspection, one release" policy, cutting customs clearance time to less than half a day. Enterprises jointly offered customized logistics solutions and adopted blockchain technology to ensure secure and transparent transportation.
In the future, the train frequency is set to double to two trips per week, covering more ASEAN countries. This expansion will not only meet the growing export needs of fastener companies but also stimulate the development of the entire industrial chain. For instance, Jize County plans to build a fastener logistics industrial park. These freight trains exemplify the Belt and Road Initiative in action, bolstering global supply chain stability and opening new paths for China's fastener industry to go global. With the advancement of China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 negotiations and the deepening of RCEP, enterprises must enhance product quality and optimize supply chains to seize opportunities in the ASEAN and global markets.
