President Xi Jinping's visit to Duisburg will provide an impetus to further developing the direct transcontinental railway between China and Germany, the chairman of the German logistics hub said.

"The train is twice as fast as transport on the sea route and only half as expensive as air freight. Therefore, the train connection, which the Chinese are already describing as the new Silk Road, has certainly contributed to improving the connectivity and trade between China and Germany," Erich Staake, the chairman of the Duisburg Hafen AG, told China Daily.

Xi's visit to the Port of Duisburg on Saturday underlines the significance that China attaches to this economically and logistically significant location, he said.