Shanxi establishes Air Silk Road connecting Central Asia

(goshanxi.com.cn)

Under the supervision of Taiyuan Airport Customs, a Tianjin Cargo Airlines plane loaded with Chinese-manufactured goods took off from Taiyuan Wusu International Airport, bound for Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Oct 21.

This route's inaugural flight marks the opening of an air cargo channel connecting Shanxi with Central Asian countries. This will inject new vitality into the province's economic and trade exchanges with Central Asia and further expand the logistics channels between the Yellow River Basin area and Central Asian countries, as well as countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.

The flight operates every Monday and Friday from Taiyuan to Almaty, with subsequent shipments to various countries in Central Asia and Europe. The first flight carried clothing, daily consumer goods, machinery, and components, with plans to include Shanxi products, automotive parts, new energy products, electronics, and medical devices.

"The one-way cargo flight takes six hours, allowing for same-day round trips. Compared to road and rail transport, overall transportation efficiency has increased by 60 percent, and logistics costs have decreased by 30 percent," said Li Haibin, general manager of the international business department of Shanxi Airport Logistics Co.

To facilitate enterprises' use of this service, Taiyuan Airport Customs actively cooperates with logistics companies, airlines, and import-export enterprises to implement intelligent supervision of the entire logistics chain for export goods. Tailored business guidance was provided for different categories, establishing a rapid customs clearance model and effectively enhancing the airport's supervision and security.