China, Cooperation, Estonia, Railways, Russia, Transport

"We believe that the so-called New Silk Road project requires operational cooperation between countries and serves the economic interests of all the parties and businesses, including Russian Railways," Kuningas, deputy secretary general for transport at the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs ad Communications, said.

"We request your support for this transit route and facilitation of the endorsement of the freight transport plans via the territory of Russia," he said.

It appears from the letter of Kuningas that the Chinese railway company sent a telegram requesting the relevant approval to Russian Railways on July 27.

The Paldiski North Port and the Chinese company Changchun International Land Port Development are eyeing a faster train route for the transportation of goods between China and Scandinavia via Estonia. The intended route would run from Changchun to Paldiski, Estonia via the Russian towns of Zabaikalsk and Pechory.

Estonian Railways is planning to accept five container trains from China a week by the end of this year, which would bring an estimated 20,000 TEU units of containers to Estonia additionally per year, Postimees reported last week.