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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 11, No. 5
Publication Date: May 25, 2024
DOI:10.14738/assrj.115.16792.
Xiaohui, S., Guang, T., & Yangkuo, L. (2024). Integrated Supervision Center of Huaihua International Inland Port: The Feasibility and
Essentiality. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 11(5). 27-58.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Integrated Supervision Center of Huaihua International Inland
Port: The Feasibility and Essentiality
Shu Xiaohui
Huaihua University
Tian Guang
Huaihua University
Li Yangkuo
Huaihua University
ABSTRACT
Building an integrated supervision center in Huaihua is feasible and essential
because Huaihua City is at the center of the border regions of Hunan, Hubei,
Chongqing, Guizhou, and Guangxi. In addition, it is a national transportation hub in
China because of its distinctive geographic location, abundant resources and labor
force. Due to the development of Huaihua International Inland Port, Huaihua has an
excellent opportunity to be a logistics and trade center for inland areas in Central
China. Given considerations in national strategies, food security, economic
development and other factors, an integrated supervision center can be built in
Huaihua, as it can promote the connectivity of the Wuling Mountain area and the
neighboring provinces, contribute to regional economic development, and enhance
China’s national security and supervisory capacity. The development of Huaihua as
an integrated supervision center facilitates the processing, bonded warehousing
and logistics distribution of high-quality imported commodities from neighboring
countries, especially ASEAN countries.
Keywords: Huaihua International Inland Port, Rural revitalization, Wuling Mountain
area, Railway ports, ASEAN
INTRODUCTION
Located in western Hunan, Huaihua is at the center of the border regions of Hunan, Hubei,
Chongqing, Guizhou, and Guangxi. It is a significant node in the Guiyang-Chongqing-Yichang- Changsha-Guilin circle, with no metropolitan cities within a radius of 350 kilometers. It can
promote the development of the surrounding 71 counties, with 90,000 square kilometers and
a population of 40 million people. Huaihua is an essential node for China’s Belt and Road
Initiative to connect other Asian countries and Europe to the north and ASEAN to the south. It
is a significant node city on the “Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao-Chengdu-Chongqing Axis,” the
“Shanghai-Kunming Corridor,” and the “Erenhot-Zhanjiang Channel” in the national
comprehensive three-dimensional transportation network. The national comprehensive three- dimensional transport network comprises 6 Axes, 7 Corridors and 8 Channels.
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 11, Issue 5, May-2024
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Moreover, it is the bridgehead of East-Central to Southwest China and the national integrated
hub city. It has formed a three-dimensional transportation network of one airport, three high- speed railroads, four general railroads and five expressways. Huaihua is the only high-speed
railway hub in China that is not a provincial capital city, and it is the first city in Hunan Province
in terms of expressway mileage. Huaihua Railway Marshalling Station is the ninth-largest
marshaling station in China and the largest in Southwest China, with a daily marshaling capacity
of more than 12,000 trains and an annual throughput of 200 million tons. The station
undertakes more than 70% of the cargo capacity of the New International Land-Sea Trade
Corridor in Western China. Huaihua West Railway Marshalling Station is a leader in intelligent
technology in China. The applications of the 5G+Beidou millimeter positioning system and
other advanced technologies have made intelligent traffic management, train pickup and
dispatching, and shunting operations possible.
Historically, during the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japan, Huaihua was a rear
area and a strategic gateway from North, Central and East China to Southwest China. Huaihua
was the military, political, economic and cultural center with its unique geographic location and
strategic importance. The Battle of Xiangxi, the last battle of the Chinese People’s War of
Resistance Against Japan, marked the complete victory of the Chinese nation. Zhijiang Dong
Autonomous County in Huaihua City is an important military fortress and the center of the war
of resistance. In Zhijiang, the Chinese people accepted the surrender of the Japanese invaders.
Since the late 1960s, Huaihua has been one of the critical areas for large-scale infrastructure
development in national defense, science and technology, industry and transportation. It is a
strategically important rear industrial base in China. However, Huaihua is part of the
economically underdeveloped Wuling Mountain area (a national demonstration area for
poverty alleviation). The area is economically backward, and its rural revitalization efforts
remain ineffective. The people are eager to develop their economy and improve their living
standards.
Under The Belt and Road Initiative, in August 2019, China’s National Development and Reform
Commission (NDRC) released the Master Plan of the New Western Land-Sea Corridor. The plan
positions Huaihua as a vital node city on the main “Chongqing-Huaihua-Liuzhou-Beibu Gulf”
corridor. It is the only node city in Hunan Province that is included in the New International
Land-Sea Trade Corridor in Western China. Thus, Huaihua can connect to the Chengdu- Chongqing Economic Circle to the West and Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe via the
China-European Railway Express to the north. Also, it can be linked to ASEAN, the South China
Sea and the whole world via the Beibu Gulf of Guangxi to the south. It is the most convenient
international channel from Central China to ASEAN. On September 13, 2021, the Huaihua
International Inland Port officially commenced construction. On May 9, 2022, Hunan adopted
the Implementation Plan on Supporting the Construction of Huaihua International Inland Port
for Further Integration into The Belt and Road Initiative.
The land port is set to achieve 2026 an annual cargo throughput of 10 million metric tons, an
annual number of more than 1,000 scheduled trains, and a 100-billion-yuan port-related
industry. Huaihua International Inland Port will be built into a first-class international inland
port in Central and Western China. It will become one of China’s top platforms for connecting
to ASEAN. At present, three major international logistics channels have been opened. They are
the rail-sea intermodal transport service linking the Beibu Gulf Port, Zhanjiang Port, and
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Xiaohui, S., Guang, T., & Yangkuo, L. (2024). Integrated Supervision Center of Huaihua International Inland Port: The Feasibility and Essentiality.
Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 11(5). 27-58.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.115.16792
Guangzhou Port; the China-Laos Railway connecting Huaihua, Mohan, Yunnan-Vientiane, Laos;
and the China-Vietnam Railway linking Huaihua, Pingxiang, Guangxi, and Hanoi, Vietnam.
Huaihua became the first city in Central China to realize the two-way operation of international
trains between China and Laos and China and Vietnam.
On the morning of April 17, 2023, the opening ceremony of Guangzhou Port stationed in
Huaihua International Inland Port was held. It actively promotes Huaihua International Inland
Port and coastal ports to gradually fulfill the goal of offering the same fare and efficiency in one
port. In 2022, Huaihua International Inland Port ran 151 international express trains,
completing 151% of the scheduled tasks. In 1H23, 209 trains were operated, completing this
year’s tasks planned. It is about to achieve the goal of taking shape in two years, gaining
momentum in three years, and becoming a benchmark in five years. Opening up to the West
has become the most powerful call of the times.
Fig. 1: Huaihua Sea Voyage Map
1 Yekaterinburg 2 Novosibirsk
3 Ust-Kut 4 Bodaybo
5 Aldan 6 Magadan
7 Sea of Okhotsk 8 Ural River