With the rising role of Sichuan as a leading logistics hub in China, IRU and the Sichuan Transportation Department have explored avenues to boost the region’s international connectivity and further professionalise drivers.
IRU Director of TIR and Transit Tatiana Rey-Bellet met with a delegation from the Sichuan Transportation Department in Geneva to discuss measures that can further leverage TIR for door-to-door connectivity by road transport, develop corridors connecting the region to the west and north, and expand one-stop trucking services.
Deputy Director-General Ning Jian from the Sichuan Transportation Department underlined the increasing importance of the region in national and international connectivity and its vision to become a key logistics hub in China and regionally.
The Sichuan Transportation Deptartment also shared its vision to professionalise its road transport industry, viewing IRU’s expertise and RoadMasters as key to elevating driver skills, which would support the province’s ambition to become a national and international logistics and transport hub.
A recent TIR movement conducted by IRU member the Sichuan Port and Shipping Investment (SPSI) from Sichuan via Kyrgyzstan to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, opened a new road route connecting the hinterland of southwest China with Central Asia.
SPSI joined IRU in 2021 to develop its international road transport capabilities and enhance its image in the international market, cementing a dynamic national and regional logistics hub for multimodal transport.