Industry News

by Liao Yifan

CHENGDU, Sept. 8 (China Economic Net) -- A new sea-rail route linking Pakistan with Chengdu is offering more than a faster way to bring Pakistani dried chilies into China. It could also provide a new channel for Pakistani agricultural products to reach the vast food-processing and consumer market in southwestern China.

Li Jiarun, head of the trade business at Chengdu International Railway Port Economic and Technological Development Zone Construction and Development Co., Ltd., said the significance of the route extends beyond individual shipments.

"From our perspective, the key is not simply to bring Pakistani chilies to Chengdu, but to explore a new model for international agricultural trade serving the southwest Chinese market," Li said.

The chili trade provides a natural starting point.

China imported about 400,000 metric tons of dried chilies in 2025, with Pakistan, India and Myanmar among the major suppliers, according to figures cited by Li. Sichuan and Chongqing, meanwhile, have become major chili-consuming markets, fueled by the region's hotpot culture and large food and beverage industry.

But much of the chili supply for southwestern China has traditionally moved through distribution hubs in northern and central China before reaching the region.

Li said the process can involve multiple rounds of unloading, storage and redistribution, adding time and cost to the supply chain.

The new route is designed to shorten that journey.

Pakistani chilies can enter China through Qinzhou Port in Guangxi and, after customs clearance, be transferred directly to rail services bound for Qingbaijiang in Chengdu. Compared with the traditional route via Qingdao, the corridor can cut transit time by about seven to 10 days and reduce logistics costs by around 1,000 yuan per metric ton, Li said.

The time savings come from two main factors: a shorter sea voyage from Pakistan to Qinzhou and fewer transfers once the cargo reaches China.

Under the traditional route, cargo arriving in Qingdao may be unloaded, stored and redistributed before being transported south to Sichuan and Chongqing. The Qinzhou-Chengdu route eliminates much of that northern detour, allowing the cargo to move onto rail after customs clearance.

For Chengdu, however, the bigger opportunity lies beyond transportation.

Qingbaijiang, home to the core area of Chengdu International Railway Port, has logistics, bonded warehousing and temperature-controlled storage facilities that can support agricultural trade, Li said.

The longer-term goal is to link transportation with warehousing, trading, processing and distribution, allowing Chengdu to serve as a gateway between overseas agricultural suppliers and markets in southwestern China.

"This is what we mean by integrating transportation, trade and industry," Li said.

The company plans to use Pakistani dried chilies as a starting point for exploring domestic trade and developing a larger southwestern chili distribution center.

For Pakistan, the emerging route could offer a more direct entry into China's southwestern market. Pakistani exporters would have another option beyond established gateways in eastern and northern China, potentially bringing their products closer to food manufacturers and consumers in China.

And chilies may be only the beginning.

Li said Chengdu is exploring opportunities to expand agricultural trade with Belt and Road countries. For Pakistani products, however, expanding exports will depend not only on logistics costs, but also on stable supply, quality control, inspection and quarantine procedures, market access and familiarity with Chinese distribution channels.

That makes the current chili trade a test case rather than an endpoint.

If the model proves commercially viable, Chengdu could strengthen its role as a distribution gateway for Pakistani agricultural products, while giving southwestern Chinese businesses more direct access to overseas supplies.