Ports in China continue to report increases in shipping volumes with a boost from the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor — a trade and logistics passage jointly built by provincial-level regions of western China and ASEAN countries.

Qinzhou Port in south China handled 31.89 billion yuan (US$4.61 billion) of goods imported and exported via the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in the first quarter of this year, an increase of 77.4% year on year.

The land-sea trade corridor was jointly built by western Chinese provincial regions and ASEAN countries, with Qinzhou and several other ports in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region as major trade gateways.

Chinese state media reported that since the beginning of this year, new materials and new energy industries have become new driving forces improving the quality and volume of foreign trade via the land-sea trade corridor, citing data from the customs of Nanning, the capital of Guangxi province.

From January to March, the report said Qinzhou Port handled 40,000 tonnes of new energy raw materials, such as nickel sulfur, nickel-iron, and spodumene, imported via the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, a 37-fold increase over the same period last year.