China’s Ministry of Transport and 11 other departments issued the Action Plan
for Promoting High-Quality Multimodal Transport and Optimizing Transport
Structure (2026–2030). The plan targets breakthrough multimodal progress by
2030, including upgrading roughly 1,000 major freight nodes and building a
national multimodal infrastructure system of integrated freight corridors, key
hub nodes and a full-coverage network. Coastal multimodal port zones are to
achieve an 80% rail inbound rate and exceed a 90% one-hour transshipment rate.
Multimodal institutional standards are to be largely established, with
widespread adoption of single-order and single-container systems. The plan seeks
sustained growth in rail and water freight turnover and a significant shift in
transport structure: coastal main ports should move 90%+ of bulk cargo via
port-access rail, waterways, closed conveyor corridors and new-energy trucks;
key inland ports, large logistics parks and scaled industrial parks should reach
about 80% clean internal transport; and in major coal-producing regions (Shanxi,
Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang) medium‑ and long‑distance coal and coke
shipments (≥500 km) should be transported by rail for roughly 95% of volumes.
