A freight train left Guoyuan Port in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Saturday for Vietnam's capital Hanoi, marking the launch of a new freight train route between China and Vietnam.

The route, part of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, is expected to further facilitate trade between western China and Southeast Asia.

All the products loaded in the train – 43 containers of engines, tires, printing paper and others – were produced in Chongqing, with a total worth of more than $3.9 million.

Previously, most of the goods from Chongqing and neighboring Sichuan Province to Vietnam were transported by water via Shanghai and other ports, which takes more than 20 days.

The new route shortens the transport time from Chongqing to Vietnam to 4 to 5 days. It is not only time- and labor-saving, but also safer and more efficient.

The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor is a trade and logistics passage jointly built by Singapore and provincial-level regions of western China. Chongqing Municipality is the center of operation for the corridor.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) has offered more opportunities for Vietnamese enterprises to participate in China's gigantic market since the trade deal came into force on January 1, bringing simplified export procedures, reducing costs and better market access for both sides.