Beijing, April 21 (IANS) China on Friday launched a new freight train service linking Xiamen city with Moscow.

The train with 40 containers left the station carrying goods worth $363,000 including granite, lighting supplies, artificial flowers and shoes, Xinhua news agency repored.

A single trip on the 10,920-km route takes 13 to 14 days. Without the direct train service, it used to take at least 25 days.

The train route connects the Chinese cities of Nanchang, Nanjing, Jinan and Jinzhou, and crosses the border via Manzhouli port in Inner Mongolia.

Xiamen imports wood, paper pulp and vegetable oil from Russia.

Lin Jiangfan, an official with Xiamen Haicang Free Trade Port Zone, said that as the host city of the 2017 Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) Summit slated for September, Xiamen welcomes a closer partnership with Russia.

The Xiamen-Moscow freight train service could also strengthen the Belt and Road Initiative, driving trade in Xiamen.

In 2016, exports from Xiamen to Russia reached more than 5 billion yuan, and imports from Russia totalled 1.9 billion yuan.