This year marks the third anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative after its implementation in 2013. The initiative has strengthened the economic relationship between China and countries alongside the Silk Road routes and boosted the region’s economy.

As the Chang’an cargo train heads towards the Xi’an International Trade and Logistics Park, for the first time in history, this international freight train Chang’an returned to Xi’an with goods after delivering only exports to Kazakhstan in 2013.

The Chang’an cargo train is a symbolic example showing the business cooperation between China and countries in central Asia. The train had also carried 2,000 tons of grease back to Xi’an after a long time business negotiation between a Shaanxi local Grain and Oil company and farmers in Kazakhstan.

Now after being re-processed, the organic Kazakhstan cooking oil is put into the local market.

The 2016 Silk Road International Expo opens in Shaanxi Province on Friday. The subject is jointly building a platform for new development. Business delegations from around the world including Korea and Kazakhstan have brought over 12 thousand cooperative projects and products to the Expo. But what's more attractive to the local customers are exotic products that are rarely seen in the Chinese market. 

"The Silk Road is a great strategic plan, connecting China and Kazakhstan. The initiative has also boosted the economic development between the two countries. This year we have 120 delegations from 40 enterprises to attend the event, this shows that there are many potentials in terms of tourism, transportation, and so on," said Meierzhan Markenov, director/Kaznex Invest.

"The Chinese market is a great opportunity for us, because only one Chinese market is bigger than Korean and Japanese market, and I think it is much more than the American market. I think we have more opportunities in China, we are also selling massager and hand handle massagers, and we are looking for new customers in China," said Tony Park, manager/Overseas Sales Dept., Welbutech Co., Ltd..

Three years after the Belt and Road initiative started, experts say China’s annual trade with countries alongside the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st century maritime Silk Road could reach 2.5 trillion dollars in a decade's time.