19 DEC 2023 · PROSPERITY
With strong momentum driving Chinese TIR developments, IRU’s Secretary General was in China to discuss priorities for 2024 with key road transport and trade authorities.
IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto and Li Yang, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Transport of China, held high-level talks in Beijing on the TIR system and major corridors.
Umberto de Pretto stressed the unique benefits of TIR and IRU’s readiness to support the Ministry of Transport to jointly develop road transport along the “Forth Logistics Corridor”, enhancing the efficiency of transport while reducing logistics costs.
As possible next steps, Umberto de Pretto and the Vice Minister explored joint efforts to optimise and cement China’s trade corridors with Central Asian countries by improving regional road transport cooperation and testing truck caravans along key corridors to demonstrate the benefits of TIR.
Following the meeting with Vice Minister Li, IRU discussed emerging challenges and opportunities facing road transport with the Ministry of Transport’s Global Sustainable Transport Innovation and Knowledge Center.
Umberto de Pretto also held high-level talks with Ren Hongbin, the Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CPPIT), on joint efforts to promote road transport under multilateral standards to a wider range of upstream and downstream supply chain actors.
Both sides highlighted the strategic importance and cooperation opportunities among Belt and Road countries to strengthen the resilience of supply chains. They agreed on the need to work together to leverage each other’s networks and events to enhance engagement and collaboration between China’s business community and the global IRU network.
CCPIT’s affiliated organisation, the China Chamber of International Commerce, joined IRU in 2018.
IRU’s Secretary General also reviewed the 2024 TIR priorities for China with Wang Limei, Chairman of IRU member the China Road Transport Association (CRTA). They focused on measures to scale up Chinese hauliers’ TIR volumes and elevating their capabilities, optimising TIR distribution networks, and improving vehicle approval procedures.
The TIR system now connects China with over 30 countries across Eurasia, offering more secure transport options that are over 80% faster and 50% cheaper.
