From Xiushan’s Dry Port: A Glimpse into the Open Development Path of a Small Inland City in Western China

During the ongoing Chongqing Municipal Two Sessions, the government work report proposed that during the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, efforts should be made to accumulate strength and achieve an overall leap in expanding high-level opening-up, striving to basically form an industrial chain, supply chain, and logistics and trade hub connecting the three major markets of Europe, China, and ASEAN by 2030.

During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, Xiushan seized the strategic goal of building a dual hub: an inland opening comprehensive hub on the eastern line of the New Western Land-Sea Corridor and a national logistics hub for trade and services. It established an international logistics hub, acquiring its own highway port and dry port.

In July 2025, the Wuling Mountain (Xiushan) International Logistics Hub project, with a total investment of 600 million yuan and covering 410 acres, was completed and put into operation. It has become one of the most distinctive projects on the eastern line logistics node of the New Western Land-Sea Corridor and is currently a key supporting project for Xiushan in building a modern collection and distribution system and vigorously developing new logistics formats such as international logistics, multimodal transport, and smart logistics.

Xiushan, one of the most remote districts and counties in southeastern Chongqing, borders the provinces of Hubei, Hunan, and Guizhou, and is also the location of the border town described by Shen Congwen. Today, from the depths of the Wuling Mountains to the forefront of opening-up, this small inland city in western China is forming a logistics distribution network radiating 200 kilometers around, exploring a new path for opening up inland small cities.

According to the person in charge of the Xiushan County High-tech Zone, although the investment scale of the Wuling Mountain (Xiushan) International Logistics Hub project is not large, the functions it unleashes profoundly affect the inland hinterland where Chongqing, Hubei, Hunan, and Guizhou converge.

It is understood that the Wuling Mountain (Xiushan) International Logistics Hub project is laid out according to the functional planning of “two ports and one zone”: the Xiushan Highway Port, the Xiushan Dry Port, and the port-side processing zone.

The Xiushan Highway Port is mainly used to establish a logistics network for Xiushan and surrounding areas, serving the logistics transportation of major channels for sea and cross-border access. Plans are to open 18 regional logistics trunk lines within 300 kilometers of Xiushan and 6 long-distance logistics lines connecting to coastal ports such as Guangzhou and Ningbo within three years. Currently, 12 regional logistics trunk lines have been opened in neighboring areas of Chongqing, Hubei, Hunan, and Guizhou such as Youyang, Yanhe, Huayuan, and Songtao, along with 4 long-distance logistics lines to Guangzhou, Dongguan, Chongqing, and Chengdu. It serves over 60 enterprises in Xiushan and surrounding areas and has attracted neighboring companies like Hunan Tongli and Guizhou Guimanganese to ship goods via the New Western Land-Sea Corridor.

Currently, logistics costs in Xiushan have decreased by over 20%. For example, the cost for goods from Xiushan to Guangzhou has dropped from the original 650 yuan per ton to the current 370 yuan per ton.

The Xiushan Dry Port is mainly used to build supporting facilities such as sea container pickup and return points, off-dock railway container yards, modern supply chain services, and financial supervision warehouses. It formulates customized “door-to-door” international logistics solutions on a global scale, providing one-stop customs clearance services, “single bill through” multimodal transport bills of lading, overseas warehousing, and booking services.

It is reported that the Xiushan Dry Port will extend inland port functions into the hinterland of the Wuling Mountains. It has currently reached project cooperation agreements with Zhengzhou Land Port and COSCO Shipping to advance cooperation on projects such as sea container pickup and return points, dry port operations, and the development of train and truck routes.

Relying on the adjacent modern collection and distribution system of the dry port and highway port, Xiushan will build a port-side processing zone. Based on the advantageous industries, resource endowments, and consumer markets of the neighboring areas of Chongqing, Hubei, Hunan, and Guizhou, it will attract and cluster enterprises focused on processing products for export and processing imported raw materials.

Currently, the Xiushan Port-side Processing Zone is making every effort to create a new integrated development

Xiushan’s Dry Port

Xiushan’s Dry Port is a major inland logistics hub in Chongqing, China, established to extend the reach of coastal ports like Shanghai deep into the country’s interior. It functions as a critical node for customs clearance, storage, and rail transport, connecting the Yangtze River Economic Belt to international trade routes via rail-sea intermodal services. Its development is a key part of China’s “Belt and Road” initiative, aiming to boost economic integration and trade efficiency for western regions.

Wuling Mountain (Xiushan) International Logistics Hub

The Wuling Mountain (Xiushan) International Logistics Hub is a modern transportation and distribution center strategically located in Xiushan County, Chongqing, China. It was developed to enhance regional connectivity and economic growth within the Wuling Mountain area, leveraging its position as a key node in China’s domestic and international supply chains. Its history is tied to recent national and regional infrastructure initiatives aimed at boosting trade and development in less central, mountainous regions.

Xiushan Highway Port

Xiushan Highway Port is a major land border crossing between China and Vietnam, located in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It was established to facilitate trade and transportation, playing a significant role in regional economic cooperation within the Greater Mekong Subregion. Historically, the area has long been a conduit for cross-border exchange, with the modern port infrastructure being developed to strengthen these connections.

Xiushan Dry Port

Xiushan Dry Port is a major inland logistics hub located in Chongqing, China, established to facilitate international trade by connecting the region to seaports via rail. It operates as a key node in the Belt and Road Initiative, allowing cargo to be processed and cleared inland before being shipped overseas, significantly reducing transport time. Its development reflects China’s strategy to boost economic integration in its western regions and streamline Eurasian freight routes.

port-side processing zone

A “port-side processing zone” is a designated industrial area within a seaport where imported goods are unloaded, inspected, sorted, and prepared for distribution. Historically, such zones evolved from simple dockside warehouses into highly organized logistical hubs, especially with the rise of containerization in the mid-20th century, which revolutionized global trade efficiency. These zones are critical nodes in supply chains, ensuring the smooth transition of cargo from ship to land transport.

New Western Land-Sea Corridor

The New Western Land-Sea Corridor is a major international trade and logistics network launched in 2017, connecting western China to global markets. It primarily uses rail and sea routes from Chongqing to ports in Southeast Asia and beyond, aiming to boost development in China’s inland western regions by providing a faster and more efficient alternative to traditional coastal shipping.

Zhengzhou Land Port

Zhengzhou Land Port, also known as Zhengzhou International Inland Port, is a major dry port and logistics hub in Henan Province, China. Established as part of the national “Belt and Road” initiative, it serves as a critical inland rail terminal connecting China to Europe via the China-Europe Railway Express. It has transformed Zhengzhou into a central node for international rail freight, significantly boosting trade and logistics efficiency since its development in the 2010s.

Xiushan Port-side Processing Zone

The Xiushan Port-side Processing Zone is a modern industrial and logistics hub located in Zhejiang Province, China, developed to leverage its strategic position near the Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan. Established as part of China’s economic planning to boost foreign trade and manufacturing, it facilitates export-oriented processing, warehousing, and international distribution. Its history is tied to the broader regional development of the Yangtze River Delta as a global manufacturing and shipping center.