The heterogeneous impact of China-Europe railway express on the efficiency of logistics industry in node cities

Purpose-The spatiotemporal compression effect of China-Europe Railway Express(CR-Express)can reduce the filow costs of resources between China's node cities.Additionally,it can break through the limitations of low-added-value marine products,significantly impacting the logistics industry efficiency.However,there are few literature verifying and analyzing its heterogeneity.This study explores the impact of CR-Express on the efficiency of logistics industry in node cities and analyzes the heterogeneity.Design/methodology/approach-First,this study uses panel data to measure the efficiency of node city logistics industry.Secondiy,this study discusses the impact of the opening of CR-Express on the efficiency of logistics industry in node cities based on the multi-period differential model.Finally,according to the node city difference,the sample city experimental group is grouped for heterogeneity analysis.Findings-The results show that CR-Express can promote the urban logistics industry efficiency,with an average effect of 4.55%.According to the urban characteristics classification,the heterogeneity analysis shows that the efficiency improvement effect of logistics industry in inland cities is more obvious.The improvement effect of node cities and central cities in central and western China is stronger,especially in the sample of megacities and type I big cities.Compared with non-value chain industrial products,the CR-Express has significant promotion effects on the logistics efficiency of the cities where main goods are value chain products.Originality/value-Under the background of double cycle development,this paper can provide a scientific basis for the investment benefit evaluation of CR-Express construction and the follow-up route planning.

An organizational model and border port hinterlands for the China-Europe Railway Express

Facilities connectivity is a priority area for implementing the Belt and Road Initiative(BRI). The "China-Europe Railway Express"(CER Express) mode of transport organization links China with Europe by fast-track cargo rail. A major instance of facilities connectivity related to this project is an important practical and symbolic instance of BRI transport cooperation. The strategic significance of the CER Express and a number of operational issues are outlined, as are the implications of limited market potential for costs and competitiveness. A "hub-and-spoke" organizational model that can generate scale economies and reduce costs is proposed. To examine the establishment of an organizational model of this kind, the economic hinterlands of Alashankou, Erenhot, and Manzhouli are identified under high-, mediumand low-cost scenarios using an analytical methodology that determines distance and economic costs, and a number of transport hubs(that include Harbin, Zhengzhou, and Lanzhou) are identified. The results found that the cost of the routes from 314 Chinese cities to Moscow is the lowest via Manzhouli in the high-and medium-cost scenarios, but the routes change via Erenhot in the low-cost scenario. A number of policy recommendations should follow up.

The influence of China-Europe Railway Express on the production system of enterprises:A case study of TCL Poland Plant

The implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative and the increasing frequency of the China-Europe Railway Express(CER Express)have brought new improvement to the production system of enterprises along the Belt and Road regions.On the basis of summarizing the evolution of production system of enterprises,this paper takes TCL Poland Plant as an example to conduct an in-depth study on the characteristics of the plant's current production system and its differences from the original production system,and analyzes the impact of the CER Express on its current production system.Some conclusions can be drawn as follows.(1)CER Express had a great impact on the production system of TCL Poland Plant,which is mainly manifested in the following aspects.First,the transport of raw materials by CER Express improves the time efficiency and shortens the whole supply chain.Second,CER Express acts as a"moving inventory",which realizes the flexibility of raw material inventory and"zero inventory"effect based on the punctual transport.Third,the time and inventory effects brought by CER Express speed up the response to European market.The comprehensive benefits brought by CER Express lead to a more punctual and lean production system,meet the diversified needs of consumers on account of product quality and diversification,and improve ability to expand European market.(2)On the basis of abandoning the original"Rigid Mass Production"system,we argue that TCL Poland Plant formed a unique production system—"Global Fluid Just-in-Time"which absorbed the essence of Toyota Production System based on the punctual transnational transportation of CER Express.(3)The differences between the current and the original production systems of TCL Poland Plant are mainly focused on the following aspects:the difference of transport and storage mode of raw materials,and the changes of production line,production mode and quality inspection organization,etc.