(Yicai Global) July 18 -- Zhanjiang in China's southern province of Guangdong has opened shipping routes to ASEAN countries since March in a bid to boost trade between inland provinces in Southwest China and connect them to international corridors and ASEAN countries.

The new lines include the Zhanjiang-Guizhou (Dalong) container shipping route, the Zhanjiang-Vietnam/Thailand container express line, and Guizhou the Fuquan-Zhanjiang Port-Thailand foreign trade route, China News Service reported.

"The Zhanjiang-Vietnam/Thailand foreign trade express line that opened recently shortens the shipping time from Thailand to Zhanjiang to four days, which is good for fruit and agricultural product exporting", said Wang Bing, the executive deputy general manager of Zhanjiang Port International Container Terminal Co.

"Containers can arrive at the plant for loading in Guizhou and can be directly transported to overseas destinations via highways, railways and by seas," Wang said. This makes door-to-door service possible, reduces intermediate links and decreases transportation costs."

Zhanjiang is an important port city along the South China Sea. Guizhou is an inland province in Southwest China with relatively limited trade access.