The China-Europe freight train departed from Yiwu, Zhejiang province to Madrid, Spain on May 31, 2020. [Photo/ce.cn]

As of May 31, China-Europe freight trains running from Yiwu, Zhejiang province carried out 200 trips this year, transporting 16,672 containers, a growth rate of 72 percent year-on-year, according to China Railway Shanghai Group Co Ltd.

With air and sea transportation coming to a near stop due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, freight trains leaving Yiwu recorded a surge in the number of trips and shipment volume from a year earlier, and around 1,000 trips are projected for the whole year.

China-Europe freight trains departing from Yiwu connect five cities in eastern China and 36 countries in Europe, including Spain, Denmark, Switzerland and France, achieving the cross-border mail delivery of over 2,000 tons.

To help world combat the COVID-19 epidemic, the majority of cargo transported are epidemic prevention supplies, general merchandise and daily necessities, which have not only boosted confidence of European nations to fight against the virus, but also ensured the smooth running of global supply chain.