Multimodal Transport Supply Chain in China: An Integrated Analysis of Development Status and Optimization Framework

Abstract

As a core model integrating railway, road, waterway, and air transportation, the multimodal transport supply chain plays a critical role in improving logistics efficiency, reducing costs, and enhancing supply chain resilience. Against the backdrop of China’s “domestic and international dual circulation” strategy and the deepening of the “Belt and Road Initiative”, this paper explores the development status, existing problems, and optimization paths of China’s multimodal transport supply chain. However, its development is constrained by several critical challenges that need to be addressed. Through a systematic analysis of policy documents, industry reports, and academic literature, this study finds that China has made phased progress in infrastructure construction, market scale expansion, and low-carbon exploration, but still faces three key dilemmas: market-legal-cost constraints, information-standard barriers, and regional imbalance-low-carbon obstacles. Corresponding suggestions are proposed: improving infrastructure and standard systems, and optimizing policy and legal mechanisms. The proposed framework and recommendations not only contribute to the theoretical discourse on integrated logistics management but also offer actionable insights for policymakers and logistics enterprises to enhance operational efficiency and competitiveness.