China Railway Wuhan Group said on Wednesday that it saw significant growth in the number of its cross-border freight trains operating between China and Europe in the first quarter of this year.

From January to March, the company operated 256 freight trains — 59 outbound and 197 inbound — between China and the continent, a year-on-year increase of 187 percent.

The service has been operating for more than a decade, ensuring the smooth flow of foreign trade channels in Hubei province, according to the company.

Goods exported include machinery, automotive parts, electronic parts, household appliances, fertilizer, tea, clothing and medical equipment. Imported goods have expanded to include milk, wine, wood, pulp and soybeans.

During the first three months of this year, 59 outbound trains carrying 6,470 containers of goods left Wuhan, capital of Hubei.

The transportation channel has 44 stable cross-border routes involving 109 cities in 40 countries, and has become one of the most important transportation sources for foreign companies.

China has been promoting the operation of China-Europe freight trains to ensure the secure, stable and smooth operation of the international supply chain.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the trains, loaded with electronic goods, mechanical parts and daily necessities, departed from cities across China for Poland, Germany and other European countries.

Last year, the national railway network provided services for the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, with 16,000 freight trains linking China and Europe operating in both directions, a year-on-year increase of 9 percent. The trains carried 1.6 million containers, up 10 percent year-on-year.

Since 2011, when the first China-Europe freight train departed from Chongqing and headed for Duisburg, Germany, the service has gradually become a calling card for transportation between China and Europe.

The service currently links 108 cities in China with 208 cities in 25 countries. In the past decade, more than 65,000 such trains have operated, carrying 6.04 million containers, China State Railway Group said.