(Illustration: Liu Xiangya/GT)
At 5:30 am local time on Monday, the first train of the China-Vietnam international passenger rail service arrived in Hanoi, marking its return after a five-year suspension, according to a CCTV News report. This development underscores the continuous efforts to improve transportation connections between China and Vietnam, thereby facilitating personnel exchanges and economic cooperation between the two nations.
The Nanning-Hanoi international train operates on a daily schedule, departing from Nanning, South China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, at 6:05 pm and arriving in Hanoi the following day, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
In recent years, China’s border provinces have been strengthening connectivity with neighboring countries and enhancing their border economies. For instance, Guangxi and Vietnam have effectively developed infrastructure links, with Guangxi operating nine highways and two railways that connect to the Vietnamese border. Additionally, there are nine land border gates, with the Dongxing crossing handling customs clearance for more than 8.5 million people in 2024, the Vietnam News Agency reported in April.
The robust people-to-people interactions between China and Vietnam have fueled the demand for the resumption of the China-Vietnam international passenger rail service, which was suspended for five years. This service was temporarily discontinued in February 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
After the pandemic, the rapid resumption of people-to-people exchanges between China and Vietnam stands as a testament to the strengthening economic and trade relations between the two countries. The trade network between China’s Guangxi and Vietnam has been continuously enriched and expanded, with border trade being vibrant. According to media reports, in 2024, trade between Guangxi and Vietnam neared 300 billion yuan ($41.7 billion), a 16.4-percent increase. The ongoing enhancement of connectivity, including the resumption of the China-Vietnam international passenger rail service, is expected to further boost economic and trade exchanges between the two nations, thereby enriching regional economic ties.
The enhanced interconnectivity between China’s border provinces and neighboring countries has given rise to a more expansive "border economy." This concept extends beyond traditional border trade, creating multi-layered networks of transportation and commerce in border regions. This development not only boosts the economic expansion of border provinces but also promotes deeper economic collaboration between the two countries.
In recent times, China’s border provinces have been actively developing a comprehensive network of connectivity and fostering economic zones, driving all-around progress in economic cooperation with neighboring countries across various fields such as trade, economic collaboration, and cross-border industrial development. This trend isn’t confined to China and Vietnam alone. For instance, since its inauguration, the China-Laos railway has experienced an increase in freight traffic, underscoring the growing interconnectivity between China and ASEAN. This development highlights the strengthening economic ties and collaborative efforts in the region.
From January to April this year, trade between China and ASEAN reached 2.38 trillion yuan, a 9.2-percent increase year-on-year. Against the backdrop of the US repeatedly wielding tariffs as a weapon, disrupting global trade and supply chains, trade between China and ASEAN has demonstrated remarkable resilience. This resilience stems from multiple factors, including the complex and tight-knit trade network that China and ASEAN have gradually built over the past few decades, the continuously strengthening connectivity, and the integrated industrial chain system. These elements mutually reinforce one another, serving as a solid foundation for their enduring partnership.
The resumption of China-Vietnam international passenger rail service is merely a glimpse into the intricate web of transportation, trade, and industrial networks that bind the Chinese and ASEAN economies together. This interconnectedness forms the backbone of their economic and trade cooperation, rendering any form of economic "decoupling" unfeasible.
It’s undeniable that US tariff policies have, to some extent, disrupted global supply chains and accelerated the restructuring of Asia’s industrial networks. However, the tightly knit trade networks within this region demonstrate remarkable resilience and prove to be able to withstand external pressures. Every cross-border rail trip and each traded cargo shipment serve as strands that reinforce the network, offering a buffer against external shocks to Asia’s industrial chains.
The author is a reporter with the Global Times.
原文地址：http://en.people.cn/n3/2025/0527/c90000-20320066.html