"After years of trucking, this is my longest haul yet—all the way to Southeast Asia," truck driver Li said on the morning of November 14. Waiting at the Mohan border crossing in Yunnan with his truck, license plate B35071, Li shared the news in a voice message to his colleagues. Meanwhile, in Laixi, Qingdao, another truck (license plate BN5858) fully loaded with local agricultural products sounded its horn as it set off. Over the next six days, it will cross five provinces—Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei, among others—before exiting China via Guangxi and covering 2,700 kilometers to reach Hanoi, Vietnam. Following the November 8 launch of the Qingdao-Bangkok route, Qingdao's latest second Great Mekong Subregion (GMS) international road transport link opened for operation.

The Greater Mekong Subregion Cross-Border Transport Agreement (CBTA) is a powerful initiative aimed at streamlining cross-border transportation. Through the GMS international road transport network, point-to-point cross-border shipping is now possible, meeting the demand for high-speed, time-sensitive freight delivery. This system enhances transport efficiency, reduces the risk of cargo damage, and drives down logistics costs, resulting in more efficient and cost-effective trade across the region.

The launch of the Qingdao-to-Hanoi route marks the debut of Qingdao's direct GMS international road transport with Qingdao's drivers, vehicles, and goods reaching GMS countries. The Qingdao Municipal Transportation Bureau, Dagang Port Customs, and the Laixi city government worked together during the route's planning phase to ensure smoother export pathways for high-quality agricultural products from Laixi. This initiative not only advances Qingdao's role in international road transport but also strengthens mutually beneficial growth in road logistics and regional economies.

Qingdao has been actively developing an efficient overland international logistics network throughout the year. The city's 14 TIR-certified companies completed 208 shipments via China-Russia transport networks from January to October, leading the nation in both the number of certified operators and total shipments. Qingdao opened a new TIR route to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, in addition to establishing China's eighth and only coastal TIR vehicle inspection center. The launch of China’s first Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) international route connecting Qingdao to Bangkok represents another new milestone.