Driven by high-level opening-up platforms such as the China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area and the China (Shandong) Pilot Free Trade Zone, Shandong's foreign trade has continued to expand.

The Qingdao Area of the China (Shandong) Pilot Free Trade Zone [Photo/China Daily]

In 2019, the province's foreign trade volume exceeded 2 trillion yuan (about $299 billion) for the first time, and the figure reached 2.9 trillion yuan in 2021. In the first half of this year, Shandong's import and export volume stood at 1.57 trillion yuan, up 17 percent year-on-year, laying a good foundation for realizing the annual foreign trade target.

Recently, a special train loaded with frozen seafood, fruits, vegetables and other cold chain food products departed from the multimodal transport center in the China-SCO demonstration zone to SCO countries.

This special cold chain train will open up an efficient and fast international cold chain logistics channel, promote the import and export of agricultural and animal husbandry products and fresh products in the Shandong Peninsula city cluster and its surrounding areas, and provide an important channel for SCO countries that are involved in two-way investment and industrial cooperation, according to a local official.

The multimodal transport center has also opened special train services for cross-border e-commerce, fresh vegetables and other products in a bid to boost trade with SCO countries.

Up to now, 26 international and domestic freight trains have been running regularly through the multimodal transport center, connecting Qingdao with 51 cities in 22 countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.

According to customs statistics, in the first half of this year, Shandong's trade with other SCO states reached 127.25 billion yuan, up 26.6 percent year-on-year.