The eleven of the "Belt and Road" flagship project tour, "Tanzan Railway in the new period", drives an economic belt.

The 21st Century Business Herald reporter He Liuying reported that recently, the Yaji Railway transportation service ushered in a new breakthrough.

On August 25, the first train transportation for the Yaji Railway was successfully opened. The first 24 cars successfully arrived at Sayba, the capital of Ethiopia from the Port of Gibi. It is reported that the first use of railway dual -layer vehicles for the first time was used for transportation. Compared with highway transportation, the transportation time was shortened from the original 3 days to 20 hours, and the transportation cost was also saved by 30%.

The Yaji Railway, officially named "Ethiopian-Dabati Standard Railway", is another transnational railway built by China in Africa after Tanzan Railway. The port of Papa, east to Gibiti is known as the "Tanzan Railway in the new period".

In early 2022, China proposed the "concept of peaceful development of Africa", which mentioned the two main axes of the Mongolian Railway and the Yaji Railway, expanding and extending to neighboring countries in a timely manner. The development framework of two axes+cross -strait ".

As an important "one axis" of the Yogi Railway, it is not only the first overseas industrial chain Sinochem of the Chinese -based railway, but also the first multinational electrified railway in the African continent. It has become one of the important models of China -Africa's "Belt and Road" cooperation.

Since the opening of commercial operations in 2018, the effectiveness of the Yashi Railway operation has continued to optimize. In 2021, the railway passenger trains issued a total of 449 columns, a freight train of 1469, and a 77357 bonus box of transport containers. The annual operating income reached 86.13 million US dollars (about 61.1 billion yuan), an increase of 37.5%year -on -year.

Sun Hong, an associate researcher at the African Research Institute of the Chinese Institute of Modern International Relations, told the 21st Century Business Herald reporter: "The Aji Railway is one of the first flagship projects of the China -Africa Belt and Road". When participating in the African Union meeting, they will visit the Yaji Railway. It has become a business card for China to carry out large -scale infrastructure cooperation with other African countries. "

A railway drives an economic belt

Ethiopia is located in northeastern Africa, and Asia Baba is the capital of the country. The African Union headquarters is located here. The trains on the Yaji Railway set off from here every day. Arrive in the port of Gilguti neighbor.

Sun Hong introduced, "After Elitria from Ethiopian independence in 1993, Ethiopian became a inland country. Long -term reliance on trucks to transport imports and exports goods through the port of Djibouti." In this context, the importance of the Aji railway connecting the two is not the importance of the two Saying.

This multinational railway was jointly established and operated by China Civil Engineering Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Chinese Civil Engineering") and China Railway Second Bureau. Formally launched commercial operations on the 1st. It has been operating for more than four years so far. In the process, the Yaji Railway has gone through the process from 1 to N.

Guo Chongfeng, Assistant to the General Manager of China Civil Engineering and Executive Director and General Manager of Ethiopian Corporation, said in an interview with the 21st Century Business Herald: "Since the official operation of the Yaji Railway in 2018, the Yashi Railway Transportation Service Project has continued to be enriched, and transportation income has remained in revenue. The average annual high -speed growth of more than 35%. Through more than four years of operation and market development, Chinese civil engineering has now proposed a package of Sustainable Development of the Aji Railway. "

It is understood that in terms of passenger transportation, the Yaji Railway has opened intercity trains, international trains, Xifa to train and convenience train; in terms of freight, on the basis of the original container transportation, wheat, fertilizer, cement and other bags have been launched. Wet cargo transportation has opened up cold chain transportation and car transportation. At the same time, it is planning large -piece cargo transportation and coal transportation according to market demand.

In addition to the continuous upgrading of transportation services, the radiation effect of the railway has continued to expand. In May last year, the Aji Railway Oriental Industrial Park was successfully opened. With the help of trackless stations, the railway opened the "last mile" of short -inverted transportation services, and realized in -depth integration with the Industrial Park. For enterprises in the industrial park, the opening of "last mile" has reduced logistics costs and trade activities are more active. Guo Chongfeng believes that this is exactly the vivid practice of "a railway drives an economic belt".

For Ethiopia, Sun Hong believes that "the opening of the railway has greatly shortened the transportation time of local imports and exports, saving transportation costs, accelerating personnel and commodity flow, and improving economic vitality. The park planning, participating in the construction of an industrial park along the railway and helping to attract investment, not only ensure the sustainable growth of railway capacity, but also injects a strong driving force for the Ethiopian industry upgrade and economic transformation. "In Sun Hong's view The layout of the industrial park has a good role in promoting Ethiopian's economic transformation, expanding exports, and earning foreign exchange that is urgently needed by the country.

For Gibbuti, "the large market for Ethiopia 100 million people is an important support for its port economy. Shortly after the opening of the Achi Railway, the Gibtiadoharedo -Drop port jointly built by Chinese civil engineering and Chinese architecture was also put into use. The combination of greatly improved the capacity of Djibouti, which is of great significance to economic development. At the same time, it has further promoted the synergy and closeness of the economic development of Ethiopia and Djibouti, and has important strategic significance for consolidating bilateral relations. "Sun Hong said.

The entire industry chain "go out"

The Yaji Railway is a "pure" Chinese railway. The whole process of design standards, equipment procurement, construction, and operation is "Made in China", including financing support, and also from China's import and export banks. As the first overseas industry chain, the Chinese Railway, the Yashi Railway has a certain demonstration effect on how the Chinese railway "go global".

"In the past, African countries were mostly narrow rails. We built standard tracks. The output of the entire industrial chain of the Yaji Railway practice helps drive Chinese technical standards to go out." Sun Hong believes that for the Chinese railway go global, The output of the entire industry chain is the only way.

After "going out", how does it merge the local problem.

The Yaji Railway has also encountered a problem. In 2020, some railway lines were stolen and destroyed, which caused a bad impact on railway operations. "In order to allow the local people to better understand the railway and the railway, and to join the actions of Ailu Road more consciously, we will regularly carry out the" Love Road Guard Road "publicity activities. Legal level, 2021, Ethiopia, Ethiopia, Ethiopia Somalia has promulgated the "Somalia Railway Safety Protection Regulations" to ensure railway safety from the system. "Guo Chongfeng said.

It is worth pointing out that the "Belt and Road" projects have always been "granting people to fish". During the operation, the Yaji Railway not only created a large number of employment opportunities for the local area, but also trained a number of railway talents. The reporter learned from the Chinese Civil Engineering Department that in May 2021, 34 Ethiopian was certified by the Ethiopian Ministry of Communications and became Ethiopian's first batch of national power locomotive drivers.

IFA, born in Oulmia, is one of them. His parents are farming, and the family is poor. IFA does not have too much ideas for the future. After graduating, the IFA successfully joined the Yaji Railway. After comprehensive system training, he eventually became a qualified electric locomotive driver. For him, this stable job was very valuable. There are many similar IFAs. As of now, the Yaji Railway has recruited more than 90%of the local employee.

Sun Hong said, "After the railway goes out, it is necessary to ensure that the project from construction to transfers and later operations transitions smoothly and smoothly to improve the quality of the project and prevent the project's poor later operations due to the lack of relevant management experience in African countries. At the same time It can drive technical transfer and cultivate local technical talents in Africa, which is also in line with the expectations of African countries. "The above, the Aji Railway has achieved practical results.

It is worth mentioning that the Yaji Railway is also known as the "transport life line" of Ethiopia. In many special periods, this railway has played a key role. Earlier this year, due to international oil prices, Ethiopia had a shortage of fuel, and some traffic services were also affected. In this situation, the Yaji Railway with electrification advantages has assumed important transportation roles, providing protection for the transportation of important supplies such as oil and fertilizer. During the outbreak of the new crown epidemic, the Yaji Railway also maintained smooth operations, and the timely sparse operation of epidemic prevention and people's biological supplies really played a "lifeline" role.

"Railway Economy" continues to highlight

In 2022, China -Africa diplomatic relations entered the 66th anniversary.

Over the years, China's economic and trade relations with Africa have continued to deepen. In 2021, the total amount of bilateral trade between China and Africa reached 254.3 billion US dollars, a year -on -year increase of 35.3%. In the field of "Belt and Road" cooperation, it is quite fruitful. As of the end of 2021, among the 53 African countries established with China, 52 countries and the African Commission have signed cooperation documents with China to build a "Belt and Road". Africa has become one of the most important directions for participating in the "Belt and Road" cooperation.

Zhou Yuyuan, a researcher at the Western African Research Center of Shanghai International Institute of International Issues, told a reporter from the 21st Century Business Herald that Africa is the most active direction of the Belt and Road Initiative and one of the most significant directions for the results of the cooperation between the Belt and Road. He said, "China attaches great importance to cooperation with Africa. From top -level design to the China -Africa cooperation forum, China -Africa cooperation has strong political willingness, comprehensive institutional guarantee and effective actions. For African countries, China attaches importance The construction concept and method are more popular with their own ability construction. "

Sun Hong concluded: "Africa and China launch the 'Belt and Road' cooperation, which has the advantages of good political foundation, obvious social benefits, high folk evaluation, and many results of cooperation."

The Yaji Railway is one of the results. Guo Chongfeng believes: "The railway is a very good carrier and entry item for China -Africa cooperation." In January 2004, the African Railway Alliance proposed to realize the African continental railway integration initiative, which provided an important opportunity for Chinese railway standards to enter Africa.

In recent years, the Akka Railway, the Yagi Railway, and the Mongolian Railway have "settled". For Africa, the economic role driven by the railway is particularly prominent. In Zhou Yuyuan's view, there are three main active role in the construction of railway projects in China and Africa's "Belt and Road":

First, African countries are generally facing the problem of backward traffic infrastructure and underdeveloped national traffic networks. Traditional road transportation often has problems such as large load, high cost, and low efficiency. It

Second, the railway in African countries is often the main traffic route connecting major economic centers or industrial centers and ports. It has an important driving effect in promoting national export capabilities and driving industrial development;

Third, the economic activities of African countries are mainly concentrated in large cities, with high economic concentration. Railway construction is reducing economic concentration, improving the imbalance between urban and rural development, promoting economic development of regions along the route, and creating new employment opportunities.positive effects."In addition to the railway, China also supports African countries to build projects with economic and social effects in different fields such as transportation, energy, power, information and communication, industrial parks, and social infrastructure.Planning has a more positive impact. "Zhou Yuyuan said.

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