China is negotiating with the governments of Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan to build three connective railroads to improve regional trade in the Silk Road economic belt. Huang Shengqiang, Director of the China Port Management Office, said China has already opened 25 international airports and land ports as well as 12 special trade areas along the economic belt within the country. It will continue to build regional freight stations and create more trading platforms with Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Mongolia and Nepal, Huang said. Since 2010, major Chinese cities, including Chengdu, Chongqing, Xian, Zhengzhou, Wuhan and Yiwu have began weekly or monthly train services to European and Central Asian destinations, part of China’s efforts to turn its inland resources and labor-rich cities into international trade hubs. Eighty-six cargo trains carrying 7,450 containers passed through the Alataw Pass railway station on the China-Kazakhstan border between January and July of this year, with trade volume reaching USD1 billion, according to customs. Transport Minister Yang Chuantang said regional connectivity is in the interests of all countries on the Silk Road Economic Belt. Yang added that China is following the Asian Highway Network deal signed in 2004 and the Trans-Asian Railway agreement of 2006 to continue its railway investment and develop major entry-exit rail and road projects.