The first train loaded with construction materials for the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone has arrived at the Belarusian railway freight station Kolyadichi, BelTA has learned.

The construction materials that have been delivered from China to Belarus are intended for building the commercial hub and the logistics hub of the company China Merchants Group, which is a resident company of the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone. Metal structures represent the bulk of the construction materials, BelTA learned from Hu Zheng, member of the China Merchants Group Board of Directors, general representative of China Merchants Group\'s representative office in Central Asia and the Baltic states.

In his words, the first construction phase needs 9,000 tonnes of metal structures. Plans have been made to buy 5,500 tonnes in Belarus and 3,500 tonnes in China. On 16 May 41 containers loaded with 800 tonnes of metal structures were delivered by train. The train left China\'s Hebei Province to cross Kazakhstan and Russia and arrive in Minsk. It took 16 days to deliver the cargo by rail. At least 25 days would be needed to deliver the cargo by sea, explained Hu Zheng. Thus, container delivery by rail is much faster, resulting in more effective construction efforts in the end.

“It is the first time the cargoes intended for building the Great Stone park have been delivered directly to Minsk. This is why the event is so important,” said Hu Zheng.

The China Merchants Group representative praised the performance of Belarusian Railways and the Belarusian customs service. “Belarusian Railways demonstrated competence and professionalism in handling the cargo and enabling quality service. The State Customs Committee has also helped a lot by receiving the cargo and carrying out customs clearance in a timely manner,” said Hu Zheng.

The executive said he hopes that as the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone grows larger, more and more cargoes will be transported by rail, including Belarusian products bound for China.

The trade and logistics subpark in the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone is supposed to become operational in 2017. The project will require a total of $500 million in investment. The subpark\'s total area will be as large as 1km2. As much $150 million will be invested in the first phase of the construction project.