China Launches Freight Train to Britain

China started the new year by dispatching the country’s first freight train to the United Kingdom, part of a larger effort to stimulate global trade. The train will depart from the city of Yiwu, a major commodities center, traverse central Asia and continental Europe, and reach its destination in London after almost 12,000 kilometers. “The railway is a major strategic development to assist Xi Jinping's multi-billion dollar 'One Belt, One Road' strategy,” reports Louise Moon for the Telegraph. As the Chinese economy begins to cool down, Chinese politicians expect the strategy to establish corridors of trade both by land and sea. China is the second-largest importer for the United Kingdom, sending more than $62 billion of goods, while Britain exports about $26 billion to the Middle Kingdom. This Yiwu-London train may boost numbers for both nations, as it will approximately halve the current required transportation time by sea. – YaleGlobal