Carrying 41 containers, ranging from food and medical equipment to hardware and other goods, the train will have journeyed through parts of Germany, Poland, Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan before entering into China.

At the inaugural event on Thursday, the governer of Sichuan province, Yin Li, said, “I hereby address my most sincere gratitude to all parties involved in propelling the materialization of Luxembourg-Sino Belt and Road collaboration, as well as to those who have contributed to strengthen the relationship between the two countries.”

Félix Braz (déi Gréng), the deputy prime minister who attended the event in replacement of transport minister François Bausch, added that the connection was a “huge milestone in Luxembourg’s railway history as well as the partnership between China and Europe”. 

According to the government press release, Chengdu is at the top when it comes to EU-China rail platform companies, having launched 1,595 trains in 2018, up from 31 trains just five years prior. 

The CFL multimodal platform, which opened in June 2007 and accommodates over 300 staff, will now serve as a consolidation hub for the south and west of Europe when it comes to rail freight with China.   

The EU’s approach was recently called into question after PM Xavier Bettel signed an agreement with China to cooperate on its Belt and Road Intiative.