Recently, in the government building of Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, First Vice Chairman Amangeldiyev confirmed to TASS that the first batch of trial goods transported via the southern route of the Caspian Sea have successfully arrived at their destination. At almost the same time, customs officials from China and Kyrgyzstan were driving through the Turgat Port deep in the Tianshan Mountains, measuring every node of the customs clearance process on site. A breakthrough in cross-border logistics is happening simultaneously in the hinterland of Central Asia.

Successful trial of the new Caspian Sea route

Kyrgyzstan, as a landlocked country, has long relied on a single transit channel, resulting in high logistics costs. The successful arrival of the first batch of trial cargo on the southern route of the Caspian Sea marks the first breakthrough in the diversification of Kyrgyzstan's overseas channels. Goods can bypass traditional congestion nodes through this route, optimizing transportation efficiency and cost. Amangeldiyev stated that this new channel will complement the existing cross-border railway and highway networks, providing more choices for foreign trade enterprises in Kyrgyzstan.

On site joint inspection at the port promotes upgrading

From April 13th to 17th, the General Administration of Customs of Kyrgyzstan and personnel from Xinjiang Customs of China formed a joint working group to conduct on-site inspections of the Turgat Port. Both sides focused on inspecting the core links of cargo inspection and vehicle control at the Chinese Topa Customs and the Jilin Karabulake Customs clearance point, and reached an agreement on increasing liaison officers and optimizing congestion response mechanisms. The Jilin side has officially proposed to change the Turgat Port to operate 24 hours a day, and the Chinese side has stated that it will actively study and promote it. Keywords: the Belt and Road news network, cross-border logistics

Digital customs clearance has been put on the agenda

In addition to extending the customs clearance time, both sides also held consultations on topics such as digital customs clearance, traffic management, and modernization of infrastructure. The Jilin side hopes to introduce China's experience in the construction of smart ports and promote the interconnection of bilateral customs clearance data. Analysts point out that the negotiations for upgrading the border crossing point are advancing in sync with the construction of the China Kyrgyzstan Uzbekistan railway, further amplifying the geographical advantage of Kyrgyzstan as a logistics hub in Central Asia, and cross-border transportation enterprises will become the first beneficiaries.Editor/Gao Xue