Last week, Mossend International Railfreight Park attended the 2022 Chinese Burns Supper & China-Scotland Business Awards in Edinburgh.

The event celebrates the business relationships between China and Scotland and funds were raised for the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to support their long-term conservation work in partnership with Kunming, Yunnan in south-west China, where the UN Biodiversity Conference – COP15 – will take place next month.

MIRP had the chance to present their vision of ‘Taking the Train to China and Decarbonisation’ recognising the potential benefits of using low carbon intermodal rail for Scottish exports to China. Rail can offer several important benefits including shorter transit times, comparable rail rates to maritime and reliability as well as the potential for the decarbonisation of the freight industry.

Scottish exports to China were worth roughly £381 million in the first quarter of last year. In particular, exports of beverages have increased in recent years, soaring 120% between 2020 and 2021.

Economic ties with China through trade, tourism, and universities support between 8,100 and 10,000 jobs in Scotland, according to 2020 data from Cambridge Econometrics.

James Brodie, Commercial Director for the industrial sector at the China-Britain Business Council, said:

“Despite the pandemic we’re still seeing a good number of Scottish businesses taking advantage of the huge opportunities the Chinese market has to offer.

“That is translating into investment, growth and jobs here in Scotland.

“We want to recognise the vital work being done in areas such as climate change and education, as well as celebrating some of the huge success stories in exports and entrepreneurship.”