The mayor of Villena, Fulgencio Cerdán, along with Tourism Councilor Paula García, presented the Levante Interior Logistics Hub project in Beijing to a group of Chinese entrepreneurs. The focus is on the concept of a rail-based freight dry port connecting the Valencian Community with the port of Algeciras to the south and the rest of the European Union to the north.
The meeting took place at the Expansion Base for the Internationalization of Enterprises in Beijing. They were received by Zhou Jie, head of the special team of this base, Li Yuan, from the International Department of the Global Alliance of Digital Economy Cities, and various executives from companies including Mu Zhaoxi (founder of Youshi Marketing Academy), Hu Yibong (General Manager of Beijing Zhiduogang Technology), Guo Jiaxue (Strategic Development Manager at Arup), Zhang Baosong (General Manager of Beijing Jiapuda Express), Ciu Mingyi (International Business Manager at Qihuan Caidan Culture Media), among others.
Cerdán presented the Levante Interior Logistics Hub proposal to investors interested in logistics infrastructure in Europe. The Chinese entrepreneurs conveyed that having such structures for moving their manufactured goods within Europe is of significant interest.
The Logistics Hub project spans 1,725,000 m², encompassing the operational Bulilla business park, a new Logistics Activities Zone, an intermodal terminal, and a specialized service area. The future dry port's freight station will accommodate 750-meter-long trains and offer large logistics plots up to 280,000 m² with direct rail access.
The mayor highlighted the dry port's connection to the Mediterranean Corridor, facilitating the link between the ports of Valencia and Alicante with Algeciras and the rest of the continent.
Chinese authorities view Villena as a "central node of the Mediterranean Corridor within the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T)", located just 30 minutes by car from a Mediterranean port. They emphasize its "superior conditions for maritime-land intermodal transport" and its role as a nexus between the European interior and the Mediterranean coast.
Chinese documentation positions Villena's Logistics Hub as a strategic point to support expanding international companies and foster trade cooperation. They note that the city and its surroundings possess a "good industrial base" suitable for connecting with logistics firms, ports, infrastructure, digital economy, and manufacturing companies to enter the European market.
Chinese business sees this project as an opportunity for their European expansion strategy, with the Valencian Community and Villena offering attractive conditions for future investments. They have expressed a desire to collaborate on the dry port's creation, industrial development, and the establishment of bilateral trade agreements.
The municipal delegation, concluding its visit to China, has agreed with the event organizers to maintain communication channels to advance the proposals. Cerdán described the contacts as "intense and very positive" for the opportunities opening up for Villena and its businesses.
