HANOI — Ratraco under the Vietnam Railway Corporation on Thursday launched the first container train to China from Vietnam's capital Hanoi.

The train transported 20 containers carrying coal, ore and electronic products to the southern Chinese city of Nanning.

After the first trip, Ratraco and its Chinese partner will operate the route with fixed itinerary every Tuesday and Thursday, before increasing the frequency.

Hanoi welcomed a container train from Nanning on Wednesday. The train carried refrigerated containers with new technology, which is expected to meet the demand of transporting frozen goods between the two countries and ease overload in border gates.

The two sides have also worked on the launch of trains from other Chinese localities to Vietnam, facilitating goods exchange with lower transport prices, and creating favorable conditions for the shipment of Vietnamese products to Central Asia, Russia, and Europe through China, Vietnam News Agency reported on Thursday.