TIANJIN — Chilean cherries are ubiquitous in most supermarkets in North China's port city of Tianjin.

The transcontinental "Cherry Express "linking Tianjin and Chile was launched in January 2024.

Upon arrival at Tianjin Port, it takes just five hours for Chilean cherries to be delivered to major markets in Tianjin and neighboring Beijing and Hebei province.

According to Tianjin Port Group, over 40 voyages were completed on the route in 2024 alone. In January of this year, approximately 30,000 metric tons of Chilean cherries arrived in Tianjin via this route.

This logistics channel has been essential in ensuring Chile's products arrive at north China markets fresh and in optimal condition.

Cherries are delicate and sensitive to temperature and humidity changes. To maintain their quality, refrigeration should run continuously during transportation.

Tianjin Dongjiang Customs coordinate closely with the shipping line in advance. They obtain the vessel schedule and container details, develop a detailed unloading plan and hold meetings with importers, agents, terminals and inspection sites.

From late November to late February every year, abundant Chilean cherries can be seen at Tianjin's largest agricultural market — the Haijixing agricultural market.

"After Tianjin Port clearance, fresh Chilean cherries reach our market in about two hours. Over 30 merchants here sell them, with a daily sales volume of 200 to 300 tons, greatly enriching fruit supply for customers in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region," said a staff member of the Haijixing agricultural market.

In addition to cherries, other Chilean products — such as blueberries, frozen seafood, premium fish, dried fruits and wine — arrive through Tianjin Port, from where they are distributed to markets such as Xinfadi in Beijing and Gaobeidian in Hebei, both of which are seeing a steady increase in the amount of Chilean products available.

"We are eager to further strengthen this gateway. Tianjin can be a central hub in Chile's strategy for positioning in China — not only for fresh products and food, but also for intermediate goods and services. We are working to improve our connectivity with inland cities, where demand is growing for high-quality, safe and traceable products such as those from Chile," said Pablo Arriaran Ahumada, ambassador of Chile to China, at the 3rd Tianjin International Shipping Industry Expo last month.

This year marks 55 years of diplomatic relations between China and Chile.

Since the signing of a free trade agreement between two countries, the first that China signed with a Latin American country, trade between China and Chile has grown fast, driven by trade in key sectors such as mining, food, services and clean energy.

China COSCO Shipping Corp Ltd has launched a direct weekly service connecting major Chinese ports like Shanghai and Ningbo, Zhejiang province, to Chile's Port of San Antonio.

"We transport Chinese goods, including automobiles, electromechanical products and apparel to Chile, and bring back fresh Chilean produce like fruit and beef on return voyages," said a COSCO representative at TISIE.

"The direct route significantly facilitates trade between China and Chile, with the diversity of shipped goods continually expanding," he said.

"China's shipping and logistics industry provides stability to world trade. It makes it easier and more efficient to do trade," Arriaran said.

Chinese investment in Chile has also grown steadily. Chinese companies have invested in strategic sectors such as port infrastructure, electric transmission lines, lithium and copper mining, and the development of solar and wind energy.

Moreover, China has implemented a trial policy that unilaterally grants visa-free entry to citizens of five Latin American countries, including Chile, since June 1.

"We do think that there will be lots of Chilean visitors coming to China, on business, tourism and leisure exploration. It's going to be easier also for business people. It's a very positive initiative," Arriaran said.

"The distance between Chile and China is great in geographical terms, but small in strategic and human terms. We are committed to continuing to build bridges, open routes and jointly develop a future-focused agenda," Arriaran said.

Xinhua