On Aug 20, four trucks operating under an international customs transit system known as TIR departed from the TIR assembly center in the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area (SCODA) in Qingdao, en route to Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. 

Four trucks carrying medical products depart from the TIR assembly center in SCODA in Qingdao, en route to Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. [Photo/Guanhai News]

The trip is expected to take seven days and marks the official launch of the first TIR international road transport route from SCODA to Uzbekistan.

The TIR system, which stands for Transports Internationaux Routiers, or International Road Transports, is designed to streamline cross-border transport, saving time and reducing costs for transport operators and customs authorities.

In recent years, SCODA has been actively expanding its network of TIR international transport corridors, with existing routes already reaching Russia and Belarus. To date, over 100 successful trips have been completed along the TIR route between SCODA and Moscow.

The launch of this new TIR route represents a major milestone in trade relations between SCODA and Central Asian countries. It offers a faster, more efficient pathway for goods from Qingdao and China's eastern coastal regions to reach Central Asia, reinforcing the development of an international logistics corridor.