A new intercontinental shipping service, launched by DHL Global Forwarding and Xi’an International that can speed container freight between Hamburg and Xi’an in 12 days or less, is a less-publicised, but more positive manifestation of China’s Belt & Road Initiative (BRI).
DHL全球货运和西安国际推出的一项新的洲际航运服务，可以在12天或更短时间内加快汉堡和西安之间的集装箱运输速度，是中国“一带一路”倡议（BRI）的宣传较少，但更积极的表现。
Conceived as the modern-day version of the ancient Silk Road, the BRI is the Chinese government’s initiative comprising infrastructure development and investment on the overland route, the Silk Road Economic Belt, and the sea-based 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.
“一带一路”是古代丝绸之路的现代版本，是中国政府的倡议，包括陆路、丝绸之路经济带和海上21世纪海上丝绸之路的基础设施发展和投资。
Many a western country is having problems getting “on board” with the BRI, citing a perceived desire of China to exert influence abroad, but such political concerns rarely get in the way of commerce. For those in the international logistics sector, the BRI is more of a blessing from Heaven itself.
许多西方国家在“加入”“一带一路”方面遇到了问题，他们认为中国希望在国外施加影响力，但这种政治担忧很少妨碍商业。 对于那些国际物流部门的人来说，一带一路更像是来自天堂的祝福。
In many ways, it’s very odd that it’s taken until now for this to hit the headlines; DHL, one of the world’s biggest logistics firms, very cleverly maneuvering themselves to be a major beneficiary of the BRI. But then, DHL knows a thing or two about China, having started operating in the country in 1980.
在许多方面，这非常奇怪，直到现在才成为头条新闻；DHL，世界上最大的物流公司之一，非常巧妙地操纵自己，成为“一带一路”的主要受益者。 但是，DHL对中国有所了解，它于1980年开始在中国运营。
As more countries sign up to be part of the BRI, so the speedy new service has become possible.
随着越来越多的国家注册加入“一带一路”倡议，因此快速的新服务成为可能。
It also saves a lot of money for shippers, and brings jobs to previously under developed locations along the route.
它还为托运人节省了大量资金，并为沿线以前欠发达的地点带来了就业机会。
The speed of the new service is down to it utilising the 9,400 kilometre Northern Eurasian corridor, that takes it from China to Germany via Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus and Lithuania, reports the Global Construction Review.
据《全球建筑评论》报道，新服务的速度在于它利用9400公里的北欧亚走廊，从中国经哈萨克斯坦、俄罗斯、白俄罗斯和立陶宛到德国。
However, the service is unlikely to become much faster any time soon.
然而，该服务不太可能很快变得更快。
Originally designed, built, owned and operated by foreign companies, railway lines in China use the standard West-European railway gauge of 1.435 metres, whereas trains in Russia and former USSR states run on the broader gauge of 1.524 metres.
中国的铁路线最初由外国公司设计、建造、拥有和运营，使用标准西欧铁路轨距为1.435米，而俄罗斯和前苏联国家的火车运行轨距为1.524米。
As such, freight need be transferred between different gauge trains at Małaszewicze, a Polish village and dry port near the Belorussian border, and at Khorgos on China’s border with Kazakhstan. Being one of the furthest points on Earth from any ocean, it is somewhat appropriate that Khorgos is also now home to the biggest dry port in the world, as a result of the BRI.
因此，在白俄罗斯边境附近的波兰村庄和干港Małaszewicze以及中国与哈萨克斯坦边境的Khorgos，需要在不同规格的火车之间转移货物。 作為地球上最遠的海洋之一，由於「一帶一路」倡議，Khorgos現在也是世界上最大的干港的所在地，這有點合適。
Within Europe, Poland, Greece, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Luxembourg and Switzerland have all signed agreements of one sort or another with China for cooperation on the BRI.
在欧洲，波兰、希腊、葡萄牙、意大利、奥地利、卢森堡和瑞士都与中国签署了某种协议，就“一带一路”进行合作。
As such, there will likely soon be many more freight services between Europe and China, such as that which is presently the longest railway route in the world, the 12,874 kilometre line from Madrid, capital of Spain, to Yiwu in Zhejiang Province.
因此，欧洲和中国之间可能很快就会有更多的货运服务，例如目前世界上最长的铁路路线，从西班牙首都马德里到浙江省义乌的12,874公里。
It also goes without saying that trains are faster than ships and cheaper than planes, making them a good bet for China and her BRI.
不言而喻，火车比轮船快，比飞机便宜，这对中国及其一带一路倡议来说是一个很好的赌注。
