China's rail freight increased in the first quarter of the year as reduced or suspended passenger trains due to epidemic control allowed China's railway network to run more freight trains.

China's State Council said in a statement that more than 948 million metric tons of cargo were transported by rail from January to March, a year-on-year increase of 2.8%.

It said a total of 350 million tons of coal for electricity production was transported via the network, also marking a 6.6% rise year-on-year.

Through its rail freight network, China said it also supplied materials used in the fight against COVID-19 to places such as Hong Kong where 35 trains carrying 1,384 tons of cargo from Beijing were sent to support the special administrative region's fight against the pandemic.

"More freight train services were put on to transport goods that are usually carried by road, including agricultural items," the State Council added.

With spring in full swing, China State Railway transported 43.7 million tons of agricultural goods in the first quarter, a year-on-year increase of 8.8% ⁠— including fertilizer, seeds, and pesticides. 

More international rail freight connections

The freight rail network also made advances in international trade from January to March.

The statement noted that in the first three months of the year, the network handled 3,630 freight train services carrying 350,000 containers between China and Europe, a year-on-year increase of 7% and 9%, respectively.

Some 170,000 containers were sent via the new western land-sea corridor, a year-on-year increase of 56.5%.

Meanwhile, the China-Laos Railway facilitated the flow of 260,000 tons of import and export goods, showing strong growth.

"China will use a new national railway schedule from April 8, expanding international freight railway services and intermodal transport involving sea-rail freight trains. These will better serve the international supply chain and improve high-quality opening-up," the statement added.

It noted that there will be four extra daily freight services on the China-Laos Railway. Additionally, more freight services will be operated between China and Europe, and the number of services along the new western land-sea corridor will be expanded.