In 2021, the EU exported €223 billion of goods to China and imported goods worth €472 billion. China is thereby Europe’s foremost trading partner when it comes to imports of goods, of which a substantial part passes through EU ports, in particular maritime ports.

While the COVID-19 Pandemic has brought unprecedented disruption to the world economy, it has also strengthened the rail links between China and Europe, and industry experts believe the growing volume of rail freight between East and West will aid the economic recovery of countries and regions along the routes of the Belt & Road Initiative