The "13+2" of the Western Land Sea New Corridor refers to a cooperation mechanism that includes 13 provinces (regions, cities) and 2 cities, which jointly sign a series of agreements to establish a cross regional tax cooperation mechanism, thereby promoting regional economic development and international trade, aiming to create a lower cost, higher efficiency, and better service international trade channel.

In November 2024, the Land Sea New Channel International Chamber of Commerce Alliance (hereinafter referred to as the "Alliance") was officially established during the 2nd China International Supply Chain Promotion Expo. In order to better learn from the work experience and innovative measures of the "13+2" provincial (regional, municipal) trade promotion associations, focus on regional trade promotion cooperation, and promote the joint construction of alliances, Chongqing Council for the Promotion of International Trade, as the leader of the alliance, recently conducted research at trade promotion associations in Guizhou Province, Yunnan Province, Shanxi Province, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Autonomous Region, and other regions.

Strengthen regional collaboration and promote linkage in the western region

Recently, China Railway Group Co., Ltd. issued the "Key Measures for Further Supporting the Development of the Western Land Sea New Corridor" (hereinafter referred to as the "Measures"), which clarifies the green backbone role of railways in the transportation of the Western Land Sea New Corridor from multiple aspects such as high-quality promotion of key railway project construction, continuous optimization of transportation organization, and improvement of channel transportation efficiency, promoting the high-quality construction and operation of the Western Land Sea New Corridor, better serving regional economic and social development, and assisting the high-level opening-up of the western region to the outside world.

Once the "Measures" were introduced, He Yi, Secretary of the Party Group of Chongqing Council for the Promotion of International Trade, led a team to conduct research at the Guizhou and Yunnan Provincial Councils for the Promotion of International Trade. During the research process, He Yi and his delegation had in-depth exchanges with relevant officials from Guizhou Province and Yunnan Provincial Council for the Promotion of International Trade, focusing on strengthening exchanges and cooperation in the trade promotion system, promoting the construction of the Western Land Sea New Corridor, and promoting high-quality development of an open economy. They reached important consensus on establishing an efficient alliance service system, planning and creating distinctive brand economic and trade activities, promoting trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, etc. This has positive significance for carrying out inter provincial trade promotion cooperation, promoting the alliance to play a better role, and forming a good pattern of consultation, co construction, and sharing.

Subsequently, Yang Xuchao, Vice President of Chongqing Council for the Promotion of International Trade, led a team to conduct research in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Autonomous Region, and Shaanxi Provincial Council for the Promotion of International Trade. Yang Xuchao and his delegation had discussions and exchanges with Miao Zengwei, Vice President of Inner Mongolia Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Quan Jian, Vice President of Shaanxi Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and He Ying, Vice President of Xinjiang Council for the Promotion of International Trade. They introduced their respective situations and had in-depth exchanges on information liaison, commercial law, exhibition and conference management, reaching a consensus on cooperation. Yang Xuchao also highlighted the relevant situation of the alliance and the key work plan for 2025. He put forward constructive suggestions and opinions on strengthening inter provincial trade promotion cooperation, participating in joint consultation and construction of the alliance, and jointly building the "Land Sea Excellent Product" brand, which received positive response and support.

It is worth mentioning that during their stay in Inner Mongolia, the Chongqing Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the Inner Mongolia Council for the Promotion of International Trade held discussions and exchanges on strengthening their alliance work, jointly building a "Land Sea Excellent Products" exhibition and sales center, leveraging the digital platform of the alliance, strengthening exchanges and cooperation among member countries' business associations, promoting and serving foreign trade, and opening up and cooperating in the industrial chain. Afterwards, Yang Xuchao and his delegation went to the Inner Mongolia High Quality Agricultural and Livestock Products Exhibition and Sales Center and Inner Mongolia Desheng Woolen Products Co., Ltd. to conduct research on expanding the market of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region's "Famous and Unique" products in member countries and helping enterprises "go global".

Supply chain logistics, entering the 5.0 era

The Western Land Sea New Corridor is located in the hinterland of western China and is a major land sea corridor that supports high-level opening up and the construction of a new development pattern in the western region. In the first quarter of this year, the import and export scale of the "13+2" provinces (regions, cities) along the Western Land Sea New Corridor exceeded 200 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of over 10%.

At the same time, the latest data from China Railway Nanning Group Co., Ltd. shows that as of May 8th, the transportation of goods by rail sea intermodal trains on the Western Land Sea New Channel has exceeded 500000 TEUs this year, a year-on-year increase of 71.6%. The growth rate of freight transportation by train continues to rise, further opening up a new logistics path connecting western China with the world, providing strong momentum for promoting economic and social development in the western region, and facilitating economic and trade exchanges between countries and regions along the new channel.

The prosperity of channels means the integration of industries. The increasingly diverse structure of railway sea intermodal freight trains in the Western Land Sea New Corridor has effectively promoted the extension and upgrading of the industrial chain. For example, cities such as Baise, Liuzhou, and Nanning have seen a significant increase in the shipment of stone materials, automotive parts, and other goods to ports such as Qinzhou Port. This not only drives the upstream raw material mining and processing industry, but also promotes the development of downstream automotive manufacturing and related industries, achieving coordinated progress between the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain. At the same time, the cumulative amount of goods such as bauxite, raw coal, rapeseed oil, etc. shipped from Qinzhou Port to western regions such as Baise, Kunming, Chongqing, and Guiyang reached 245000 TEUs, a year-on-year increase of 59%. The stable supply of raw materials provides solid support for the manufacturing and processing industries in the western region, and stimulates new vitality in the industry. This deep integration of "channels+industries" is becoming an important part of the international supply chain, driving the industrial chain towards high-end and refined direction.

Supply chain is the backbone and lifeblood of enterprises, as well as an important support for stabilizing the overall economy. KPMG pointed out in its report "Supply Chain Logistics 5.0- Building a Global Digital Supply Chain Logistics System" that the supply chain logistics industry is undergoing unprecedented changes driven by the digital wave. Multiple driving factors, such as social change, globalization, technological progress, industrial upgrading, and low-carbon environmental protection, are driving supply chain logistics towards the 5.0 era.

In this context, the Western Land Sea New Corridor is vigorously promoting the digital transformation of the logistics industry. For example, the recently launched "Chongqing Trade Connect Smart Trade Platform" provides comprehensive trade services for productive and trading enterprises in the western region, helping them better understand and utilize policy advantages and reduce operating costs; The Chongqing "Logistics Smart Supply Chain Operation Management Platform" has developed an efficient logistics data processing system through the functions of "Unified Portal" and "Unified Order", providing customers with digital and integrated logistics services.

The "13+2" pattern, from south to north and from west to east, has led the Western Land Sea New Corridor to move towards a "vertical and horizontal integration". The mountains and steep ridges that shuttle through the hinterland, the blue waves and waves that gallop across the ocean, this steel camel caravan carries the wisdom of the West and radiates even stronger vitality.