Signing of a memorandum of cooperation and the establishment of an alliance between CCTT, China International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFA), Administrative Committee of the Chengdu International Railway Port, Chengdu Northstar Sinogold Exhibition Co., Ltd.

On November 9-11, 2020, the China International Supply Chain and Smart Logistics Expo 2020 (SCSL 2020) was held in Chengdu, China. The three-day exhibition, organized by Beijing North Star Events Group Co., Ltd., Northstar Sinogold Exhibition Chengdu Co., Ltd. and Sichuan International Expo Group, is China's only specialized exhibition of transport and logistics services related to Western China and the countries participating in the "One Belt and One Road" initiative. The aim of the exhibition is to present the products of international transport and logistics brands in Western China as much as possible. This exhibition is held annually and is positioned as a platform for establishing cooperation within the industry, searching for business opportunities and joint development. Now it is one of the few international exhibitions that are held in China, taking into account the restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On November 9, the grand opening of the exhibition took place. The Secretary General of the CCTT, Mr. Gennady Bessonov delivered a welcoming speech. He noted the importance of business partnership with Chinese companies and mutually beneficial prospects for cooperation. It was also noted that, despite the existing restrictions associated with the pandemic, rail container transportation for 10 months of 2020 showed a growth compared to the previous year. Thus, there is a potential in this industry that needs to be developed and increased through joint efforts.

The exhibition featured well-known logistics companies engaged in international cargo transportation, logistics technologies and equipment manufacturing, international supply and cross-border e-commerce. During the exhibition, experts from leading logistics companies discussed the development of modern digital technologies implemented in railway transport, as well as the prospects for the development of the industry in the next years against the backdrop of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Within the framework of the exhibition, a memorandum of understanding and cooperation was signed between the International Coordinating Council on Trans-Eurasian Transportation (CCTT), China International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFA), Administrative Committee of Chengdu International Railway Port, Chengdu Northstar Sinogold Exhibition Co., Ltd.

The memorandum provides for the creation of the China Railway Express International Supply Chain Alliance, which aims to jointly promote the China Railway Express rail delivery service, coordinate transit customs issues and facilitate the simplification of customs clearance through the unification of document management and the introduction of paperless technologies. Within the framework of the agreement, it is also planned to promote the development of land, sea and air multimodal transport, the creation of an integrated multimodal transport information digital platform.

The main objectives of the alliance will be the organization of representative offices in the Russian Federation and China, holding meetings in business circles, assistance in signing international agreements, conducting presentations of individual products and services of transport companies, conducting research and analytics, attracting the necessary target audiences, informing the business community, promoting scientific and cultural exchange, creating a permanent center for advanced technologies.

The creation of the alliance will lead in the long term to an increase in the railway container cargo turnover in the China-Europe-China connection, optimizing the speed of cargo delivery along existing routes. The joint cooperation of the parties within the framework of the memorandum will help to develop new routes for the accelerated delivery of goods within the framework of the Chinese railway express CR Express, reduce transit time and make transportation in the China-Europe-China connection even more competitive.