A train loaded with 660 tonnes of cargo left the city of Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, and headed for Uzbekistan on Wednesday, marking the first cargo train between Shijiazhuang and Central Asia since the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The 42 containers of goods include auto parts, mechanical equipment, building materials and other commodities with a total value of around 30 million yuan (about 4.3 million U.S. dollars). They will arrive in Tashkent in about 12 days.

The resumption of freight trains provided strong support for the resumption of production for trade enterprises in the province.

The operations of cargo trains between Chinese cities and countries along the Belt and Road are gradually resuming amid the epidemic. Earlier this month, the city of Jinhua in east China's Zhejiang Province resumed its cargo train service to Central Asian countries.

Authorities in Shijiazhuang said they will launch more freight trains to Russia, Belarus and Central Asian countries in March.