The containers transported metal and milk from the northern provinces of Hai Duong, Hai Phong and Hung Yen to Hanoi's Yen Vien Station to connect to the China route.

Speaking at the event, Nguyen Ngoc Canh, Vice Chairman of the Commission for the Management of State Capital at Enterprises, said that the Cao Xa Station connection to the Vietnam-China freight train route would allow more Vietnamese goods to be transported via rail to China and Europe.

Hai Duong authorities reported that foreign trade activities at their 20 industrial zones and over 50 industrial clusters have been busy. The operation of the international freight route via Cao Xa Station will help boost trade with China.

Hai Duong will export the first batches of litchi to China through Cao Xa Station on May 20.

The first international multimodal freight train from Shijiazhuang, in China's Hebei Province, to Yen Vien in Hanoi was launched last August. The route runs for over 2,700 kilometres and takes 4-5 days.

The 23-carriage train carries nearly 800 tonnes of goods, including metal equipment, chemicals, and fertilisers.

Vietnam is among Hebei Province's key trade partners in ASEAN. It previously took 15 days by sea from Heibei to ASEAN countries, including Vietnam.