BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 23. The Middle Corridor promotes the diversification of transport links between China and Europe, IRU Secretary General Habib Turki said during the Conference on Logistics Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries.
According to the International Road Transport Union (IRU), Secretary General Habib Turki stated that harmonizing procedures and closer cooperation between the public and private sectors could contribute to further growth in trade between China and Central and Eastern European countries.
“It is logistics, not any single technology, that transforms industrial potential into overall prosperity. Our modern transport corridors between China and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe have been developed over the past decade. Today, trucks cross multiple borders, transporting valuable goods in both directions. Each truck enhances the flexibility and resilience of the supply chains that road transport provides, while also contributing to trade, economic development, and increased prosperity,” H. Turki stated.
The report notes that the IRU has been supporting the development of road freight transport between China and Europe for more than three decades: “Today, more than 3,700 vehicles registered in the TIR system operate on more than 120 routes from China to countries in Central and Eastern Europe, crossing more than 60 borders through Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Türkiye.”
The IRU reports that earlier this year, the scope of the TIR system in China was expanded to include e-commerce and goods under customs control, opening the system to entirely new types of trade.
In addition, it is emphasized that the benefits are already becoming increasingly apparent. For example, transporting goods from China to Azerbaijan via the TIR system using the customs transit procedure can now take 15 days, which is half the time required for a similar shipment by sea.
According to the IRU, further growth will depend on continued efforts to streamline procedures: TIR “green corridors” at key Chinese border crossings already provide TIR trucks with priority passage, and 11 facilitation centers across the country offer logistics operators “one-stop shop” services.
“This is precisely what public-private sector cooperation achieves: it transforms standards and regulations on paper into a functioning corridor that facilitates the movement of goods and the growth of trade,” Habib Turki said.
According to the IRU, the potential is significant: “Trade volume between China and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe reached $161.5 billion in 2025, marking its tenth consecutive year of growth, after which it rose by another 11% in the first half of 2026.”
In addition, Habib Turki highlighted the role of road transport in enhancing the resilience of supply chains: “Trucks can be quickly rerouted if geopolitical upheavals, natural disasters, or other crises disrupt existing transport corridors.”
Furthermore, it is noted that the Middle Corridor is a prime example of how diversifying transport routes can provide alternative connections between China and Europe.
According to the IRU, the TIR system further strengthens the corridor by allowing goods to be transported through multiple countries under a single international customs guarantee, reducing border delays and administrative procedures.
"Cross-border transportation, by its very nature, involves a complex interplay of numerous rules, systems, and operating procedures. The purpose of transport corridors is to harmonize these rules and processes.
On behalf of its members and the entire road transport community in China and every country in Central and Eastern Europe, the IRU is committed to ensuring that goods and supply chains continue to move quickly, efficiently, and safely. “The road ahead is long. But every great journey, no matter how long it may be, begins with those who are ready to travel it together,” H. Turki concluded.
