Feature: Zhengzhou-Luxembourg Air Silk Road promotes interconnectivity between China, Europe

ZHENGZHOU/LUXEMBOURG, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Late into the night, when most people are asleep, the staff of the Zhengzhou station of Cargolux Airlines International, a Luxembourg-based cargo airline, have just begun their workday at the Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport in central China's Henan Province.

They are gearing up to unload 110 tons of goods from a direct flight from Luxembourg, and then reload it with some 130 tons of cargo. "The whole process will take two and a half hours," said Chen Pengchao, the operation director of the station, who is checking the cargo information with his colleagues. "After that, the flight will go to Chicago."

This flight is shuttling on a route launched nearly ten years ago. Back in 2014, Henan Civil Aviation Development and Investment Company Ltd. acquired a 35-percent stake in Cargolux, marking the start of an Air Silk Road that links Zhengzhou and Luxembourg. Over the years, the route has expanded to cover more than ten cities around the world, including London, Chicago and Milan, providing a reliable channel for logistics businesses and cross-border trade.

Shang Liang, CEO of Guangzhou Langtian Supply Chain Company, a close partner of Cargolux, attributed the company's robust growth over the past years to the inauguration of the Air Silk Road.

With the regular flights of Cargolux and the convenient customs clearance at the Zhengzhou airport, it takes only three days to transport goods from China to European countries, which fully meets the needs of cross-border e-commerce, said Shang.

Meanwhile, the launch of the Air Silk Road has sparked a surge in overseas firms' eagerness to explore the Chinese market, which in turn has brought Cargolux onto the fast lane of development. Even during the pandemic, flight operations along the route continued without suspension.

"During the pandemic, air cargo became really the vital part of the logistics chain because we were able to carry the much-needed goods in a very short amount of time," said Claude Zehren, executive vice president for flight operations of Cargolux.

In 2022, Cargolux's operating income reached 5.1 billion U.S. dollars with a net profit of 1.6 billion, making it the most profitable year in the company's history.

In June, Cargolux held its first post-pandemic meeting of Asia-Pacific managers in Zhengzhou, reflecting the company's confidence in the Chinese market and economy.

In the eyes of President and CEO of Cargolux Richard Forson, the Air Silk Road, which has facilitated the connectivity between China and Europe, is a success story of companies, people and nations that share a common vision for strong commercial ties.

"It is, therefore, with great pride and honor that we have not only witnessed the emergence of the Air Silk Road, but have also played a part in it," said Forson.