The country already has an extensive high-speed passenger network and is now looking to develop new goods trains. Rail bosses believe demand from online retailers will help drive the development of the network

This year marks the 10th anniversary of China’s Belt and Road Initiative — a platform for global cooperation, in which Beijing is actively creating and developing sea and land routes to Asia, Africa and Europe. The starting point of this grandiose project was the city of Xi’an, from which the ancient Silk Road originated.