The Parallel Advancement of "Hard Connectivity" and "Soft Connectivity": New Opportunities Reshaping the International Logistics Landscape

If international logistics were a global competition, the key to victory has often been measured by who possesses faster ships, denser routes, and more hub ports—what can collectively be termed the race for "hard connectivity." However, the rules of the game are undergoing a profound shift. As 2026 begins, a series of developments—from the new "airside direct access" model at Xinjiang ports that slashes customs clearance times by 90%, to the issuance of the world's first "Rail-Sea Multimodal Transport Bill of Lading" based on the UN Convention in Chongqing—send a clear signal: the future of logistics efficiency and competitiveness will be determined not only by the "hard connectivity" of steel and concrete but also by the "soft connectivity" of rules, standards, and documentation. The intertwined advancement of these two forces is opening a gateway to a new paradigm for the entire international logistics industry.

"Hard Connectivity" Solidifies the Foundation: The Physical Engine of the Efficiency Revolution

"Hard connectivity" forms the physical lifeblood of international trade, and its continuous upgrading directly empowers leaps in logistics efficiency. This is particularly evident in China's vast inland and border regions.

The China-Europe Railway Express, known as the "steel camel train," is a paragon of "hard connectivity." It has evolved beyond a mere transport corridor into a carrier tracing the trajectory of China's industrial upgrading, shipping goods from daily necessities in its early days to today's high-value-added "new three" items like new energy vehicles and smart electronics. To meet the demands of these time-sensitive, high-value goods, infrastructure and operational models are constantly innovating. For instance, in Xinjiang, the Horgos Port has established dedicated channels for oversized wind power equipment and implemented "green locks" for fruits and vegetables to enable rapid release. In Sichuan, efforts are underway to advance the integrated construction of the "Three Networks": the channel network, logistics network, and data network. These measures collectively strengthen the physical foundation of cross-border logistics, making cargo flow faster, more stable, and smarter.

"Soft Connectivity" Breaks Bottlenecks: The Key to Rule Innovation

However, even with the smoothest routes, trade can stall if the document representing title to the goods fails during transit. This has long been a pain point in international multimodal transport: the lack of a document universally recognized by global financial and legal systems for its function as a document of title, akin to an ocean bill of lading. The absence of this crucial "soft connectivity" has made it difficult for inland enterprises to obtain financing using goods in transit, creating significant financial pressure.

The issuance of the world's first "Convention-based" Multimodal Transport Bill of Lading in Chongqing is a groundbreaking solution. It directly aligns with the United Nations Convention on the International Effects of Judicial Sales of Ships, adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2025, marking the first attempt in rail-sea multimodal transport to explicitly endow a bill of lading with transferable legal attributes. This means enterprises can use this single document to apply for bank financing, truly unlocking capital tied up in transit. This innovation does more than upgrade a transport document; it represents a proactive effort to align with international trade rules and explore their commercial application in advance. It addresses the long-standing challenge of rules for overland trade, providing a practical model for establishing a unified liability system and document of title for shipments originating inland and proceeding overseas.

Integrating the "Hard" and "Soft": An Action Guide for Logistics Companies

"Hard connectivity" and "soft connectivity" do not operate in silos; their deep integration unleashes maximum value. The State Council's recent deployment of measures to replicate and promote cross-border trade facilitation policies is fundamentally about enhancing coordination and synergy among different modes of transport—a systematic project that inherently promotes "hard and soft" connectivity. When efficient physical networks are combined with unified, authoritative rules and documentation, international logistics will evolve from a simple "transport service" into a comprehensive solution encompassing "logistics + trade + finance."

For small and medium-sized international logistics enterprises, this presents both opportunity and challenge. The opportunity lies in the fact that smoother channels and more financially functional documents will attract more clients to adopt multimodal transport and generate demand for high-value-added services like supply chain finance. The challenge is that companies must rapidly enhance two core competencies: first, the ability to integrate and operate within "hard connectivity" networks (e.g., new routes, specialized ports); second, the ability to understand and apply "soft connectivity" rules (e.g., the legal force of new documents, financing procedures). Companies that can proactively help clients leverage tools like the "Convention-based" Bill of Lading to optimize their capital and logistics chains will build a formidable core enterprise advantage.

Conclusion

From steel rails to electronic bills of lading, from port machinery to legal provisions, the dimensions of competition in the international logistics industry are expanding unprecedentedly. Shanghai Wenaili firmly believes that the future leaders will be the intelligent logistics enterprises that excel not only in the operational efficiency of "hard connectivity" but also in navigating the rule innovations of "soft connectivity." In this new era demanding proficiency in both the "hard" and the "soft," only by actively embracing change and combining the "strength" of infrastructure with the "wisdom" of rule innovation can companies seize the initiative and navigate steadily towards long-term success within the new global logistics paradigm.