Xiamen, in China's Southeast Fujian province, recorded that 273 China-Europe freight trains with $962 million worth of goods departed the coastal city last year -- increasing by 17 percent and 40 percent year-on-year, respectively, establishing  a new record -- according to statistics released recently by the city's customs authorities.

The China-Europe Railway Express (Xiamen) became a vital logistics channel, for ensuring smooth trade and commerce between China and the Belt and Road countries and regions, amid the global COVID-19 pandemic last year.

The train currently runs on routes to 12 countries and 30 regions and it has played an important role in stabilizing industrial and supply chains amid the pandemic.

The city's customs authorities have released an array of supportive measures to promote the development of the China-Europe Railway Express (Xiamen), including simplifying the materials needed for customs clearances.

Statistics showed that the China-Europe freight trains sent a total of 24,112 standard twenty-foot equivalent units (or TEUs) containers last year, up by 36 percent year-on-year, another record.

A customs official said that the growth of the China-Europe freight trains was due to the increasing demand from overseas consumers for Chinese products, especially novel coronavirus epidemic prevention and control materials.