Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Khorgos border crossing, located in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, continues to solidify its position as a key transport and logistics hub on the China–Europe rail freight route.

According to Khorgos Customs, 471,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) passed through the checkpoint in the first half of 2025 — a 26% increase compared to the same period last year, Xinhua News Agency reports.

Since the launch of the first China–Europe freight train via Khorgos in 2016, 88 international routes have been established through the checkpoint, connecting 46 cities across 18 countries. Each year, more than 100,000 types of goods are transported through this gateway, forming stable and efficient logistics corridors under the Belt and Road Initiative.

The surge in freight volume is largely attributed to the implementation of advanced logistics solutions. In May this year, Khorgos Customs became the first in China to introduce the “Smart Rail Port + Accelerated Destination Clearance” model. This innovation reduced the clearance time for imported goods from 2–3 days to under 16 hours. Meanwhile, the average transfer time for return trains has dropped to approximately 2 hours.

Currently, over 27 China–Europe trains pass through Khorgos daily. Customs services operate around the clock, ensuring immediate inspection of goods upon arrival.

Han Xing, Chief Operating Officer of the Khorgos branch of international logistics company Hong’an, noted that in just the first half of this year, the company handled more than 1,300 trains — a 10% increase from the previous year.

To maintain this growth momentum, Khorgos Customs continues to optimize its operations. Measures include integrating customs inspection into railway operations, establishing dedicated service windows, and offering tailored logistics solutions based on the needs of foreign trade participants.