Action plan to improve the quality and efficiency of freight transportation and logistics in China

China’s Ministry of Transport and the National Development and Reform Commission co-issued the Action Plan for Reducing Costs and Improving Quality and Efficiency in Transportation and Logistics in November 2024. This action plan specifies implementation pathways to optimize transportation structures for the movement of freight, promote development of intermodal transportation, improve infrastructure networks, and increase supply chain efficiency.

By 2027, the action plan aims to:

• Reduce the cost of social logistics of gross domestic product to approximately 13.5%
• Increase ton-kilometers (tkm) of railway freight by approximately 10%
• Grow rail-waterway intermodal transportation of freight containers at ports by an average of 15% per year
• Transport more than 80% of port cargo by rail, waterways, enclosed belt conveyors, and new energy vehicles

Figure. Action Plan targets for improving transportation and logistics in China

This paper was updated on 13 May 2025 to correct Figure 2.

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