BEIJING — China on Jan 1 launched its first freight train to London, the China Railway Corporation said.

Departing from Yiwu West Railway Station in eastern Zhejiang province, the train will travel for about 18 days and more than 12,000 kilometers before reaching its destination in Britain.

Yiwu is known for producing small commodities, and the train mainly carried such goods, including household items, garments, cloth, bags and suitcases. It will pass through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, Belgium and France before arriving in London.

London is the 15th city in Europe added to China-Europe freight train services.

The service will improve China-Britain trade ties, strengthen connectivity with western Europe, while better serving China’s Belt and Road Initiative, an infrastructure and trade network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along ancient trade routes, the China Railway Corporation said.