South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region handled 346 China-Vietnam freight train trips last year, up by over 108% compared to the level seen in 2020, according to China Railway Nanning Group Co., Ltd.

State media Xinhua said since the launch of the freight train in August 2017, the service has transported a variety number of goods between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, including glass, cotton yarn, fruits, electronics, and daily necessities.

It said among the imported fruits, 19,400 tonnes of durians, mangosteens, and longans have been transported via the freight service in 2021, up 14.7% year on year.

For 2022, the report noted that a total of 400 China-Vietnam freight train trips are expected to be made.

Focus on rail services to transport goods within landlocked countries have ballooned over the past year as air cargo capacity remains tight amid the continuous surge of Covid-19 cases along with disruptions seen in ocean shipping.