The transportation of international containers within the Chinese railway network is only number four on the Chinese Ministry of Rail's priority list. Bulk transport of coal, grain and timber, passengers and the movement of Ministry of Railway (MOR)-owned containers take precedence. However, the situation is changing, and the giant monopoly that is the MOR is waking up to the growing importance of the carriage of international export containers within China. In 2000, 330,000TEU for international import and export were carried on China's national railway system, representing only 3% of the total international container traffic moving through its coastal ports. By comparison, 7.9 million TEU were moved by rail operators in North America and Canada in 2000. To further show the insignificance of this figure, a total of 11.69 million TEU alone were carried through China's largest ports - Shanghai, the Shenzen group of ports (Chiwan, Yantian and Shekou) and Qingdao, last year. But the potential for transport in China is bright: the country has recently entered the WTO, been awarded the coveted 2008 Olympic games in Beijing, and many overseas multinational companies are choosing China due to its cheap operating costs.
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