Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Ma Yining) news: In the era when the Belt and Road Initiative is advancing in depth, air ports in Xinjiang shine like dazzling pearls, exuding robust vitality with their booming development. They have emerged as pivotal hubs linking domestic and international markets, injecting a continuous stream of new momentum into regional economic growth.

In the first quarter, the cargo and mail throughput of all air ports across Xinjiang reached 75,000 tons, marking a year-on-year increase of 48.51 percent. Among this, domestic cargo volume stood at 53,200 tons, showing a 9.7 percent year-on-year growth. The international sector, in particular, demonstrated outstanding performance, with cargo volume soaring to 21,800 tons, a staggering tenfold increase compared to the same period last year. This not only underscores the strategic significance of air cargo in regional economic development but also highlights the vibrant energy of the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt.

Routes weaving a net to smooth major international logistics channels

As the "aerial artery" of the global supply chain, air cargo plays a pivotal role in high-value-added industries, leveraging its advantages of efficiency and punctuality.

In May 2025, the landscape of Xinjiang's air cargo sector continued to expand. In the early hours of May 10, a YTO Airlines Boeing 757-200 all-cargo aircraft, fully loaded with 24.7 tons of cross-border e-commerce goods, took off directly from Urumqi Tianshan International Airport, heading for Belgrade, Serbia. This flight successfully established an aerial bridge connecting China with the Balkan Peninsula and opened up new prospects for enterprises to explore the Southeast European market. Just a day later, another flight, brimming with 49 tons of cross-border e-commerce cargo, departed from Urumqi, heading towards Zurich, Switzerland, further densifying the air route network between Urumqi of China's Xinjiang and Europe.

Photo taken on May 10, 2025 shows staff members commemorate the maiden flight of the cargo route from Urumqi to Belgrade in Urumqi City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by He Ying)

"The opening of these new air routes is a significant boon for cross-border e-commerce enterprises," said Feng Liang, the general manager of Xinjiang Wanshengtong Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd. He mentioned that in the past, transporting goods to Central and Eastern European countries often required multiple transfers, which not only consumed a considerable amount of time but also posed relatively high transportation risks. Now, however, goods can be shipped directly to Zurich, Switzerland, greatly enhancing transportation efficiency and reducing logistics costs.

Since Xinjiang Airports (Group) Co., Ltd. achieved a record-high cargo throughput in 2024, it has been closely aligning with the positioning of the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt, continuously optimizing the layout of international cargo routes. Urumqi Tianshan International Airport has gradually evolved into a pivotal aviation logistics hub connecting the entire country, Central Asia, and Europe, operating cargo flights to 18 cities in 14 countries, including the United Kingdom, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Switzerland.

At the international cargo terminal of Xinjiang Tianyi International Logistics Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Xinjiang Airports Group, numerous express delivery trucks brimming with goods are busy unloading cross-border e-commerce cargoes from various parts of the country. These cargoes can be transferred to international all-cargo aircraft on the same day, bound for over ten cities in Central Asia and Europe.

This year, Xinjiang Airports Group has intensified its cooperation with private enterprises, such as foreign trade manufacturers and e-commerce platforms, to continuously optimize the aviation logistics system and reduce regional circulation costs. It has expanded into the cross-border e-commerce business sector, actively engaging with domestic and international e-commerce platforms and logistics companies. By launching chartered flight routes for cross-border e-commerce and increasing the frequency of international cargo flights, the group has constructed a cross-border e-commerce logistics network that covers regions including Europe, Central Asia, and West Asia. Additionally, it has continually refined its support processes, innovated service models, and elevated the level of facilitated customs clearance services, fully supporting cross-border e-commerce enterprises in securing orders, meeting tight deadlines, and expanding into new markets.

"Currently, we have launched international cargo routes to Central, Western Asian, and European cities such as Moscow, Tbilisi, Baku, Almaty, Tashkent, and Belgrade. In the later stages, we will also open a route to Tehran," said Zhulituzi Azatibek, the deputy general manager of Xinjiang Tianyi International Logistics Co., Ltd.

This year, Xinjiang Tianyi International Logistics Co., Ltd. has innovatively established a cross-border e-commerce sorting and customs clearance center. By optimizing processes and implementing a 24/7 customs clearance service, the company has reduced the customs clearance time for a single shipment to within 30 minutes. Meanwhile, it has forged strategic partnerships with e-commerce enterprises, driving the transportation volume of cross-border e-commerce goods to reach 13,300 tons and the trade volume to exceed 1.898 billion yuan (about 262.88 million U.S. dollars), achieving a year-on-year doubling growth. Statistics show that cross-border e-commerce business accounts for 34.5 percent of the company's total international cargo volume, becoming the core engine driving the growth of its international operations.

Breaking through the low-altitude limit to build a new three-dimensional logistics ecosystem

While traditional air cargo transportation is developing rapidly, Xinjiang is actively exploring new avenues in low-altitude logistics.

On April 2, 2025, the Xinjiang Tianyi Low-Altitude Logistics Operation Center was established, marking the official commencement of a new era for Xinjiang's aviation logistics industry characterized by a three-dimensional logistics network of "trunk-line aviation + branch-line drones + intelligent terminal delivery."

Photo taken on April 2, 2025 shows the Tianyi Low-Altitude Logistics Operation Center of Xinjiang Airport Group was inaugurated in Urumqi City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Wang Yayun)

"Low-altitude smart logistics is a pivotal strategic fulcrum for Xinjiang in constructing the 'Air Silk Road'," Tao Runwen, secretary of the Party committee and chairman of Xinjiang Airports Group, succinctly highlighted its significance. He stated that the establishment of the Xinjiang Tianyi Low-Altitude Logistics Operation Center is committed to building an integrated, three-dimensional logistics network. This network aims to enhance the circulation efficiency of local express deliveries and other commodities, optimize the last-mile connectivity in sectors such as fresh produce cold chains and medical emergencies, and drive Xinjiang's transformation from a corridor economy to an industrial economy. It will inject robust momentum into the efficient and unimpeded flow of Xinjiang's logistics industry chain and supply chain.

Currently, the center has established a "three-horizontal and three-vertical" technological matrix. Horizontally, it covers short-distance delivery for payloads up to three kilograms, trunk-line transportation for 30 kilograms, and heavy-duty drones capable of carrying 50 kilograms. Vertically, it has constructed an operational system integrating "Beidou navigation + 5G communication + centralized scheduling." Going forward, the center will continue to optimize drone payload capacities, extend flight ranges, and enhance safety measures. It will actively explore the application of new technologies such as new energy and vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities, gradually achieving full coverage of county-level nodes across Xinjiang. By collaborating with upstream and downstream enterprises in the industry chain, the center aims to establish a regular operational mechanism integrating "aviation logistics + medical healthcare + e-commerce services," thereby constructing an open and shared low-altitude economic ecosystem.

In the first quarter, Xinjiang Tianyi International Logistics Co., Ltd. delivered impressive results: the cargo volume for its branch-line circular flights reached 180.5 tons, while the volume of goods shipped out of Xinjiang totaled 5,796 tons. This has significantly strengthened the construction of the logistics network across the entire region, with the average year-on-year increase in cargo and mail throughput at county-level branches reaching 87 percent. Currently, Xinjiang Tianyi International Logistics Co., Ltd. has forged partnerships with medical institutions such as the People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and logistics enterprises like SF Express. Through these collaborations, it has successfully established a bridge for transporting various types of goods, enabling precise coordination in the emergency dispatch of medical supplies, the fresh delivery of local agricultural and sideline products, and the efficient circulation of e-commerce parcels. Its industrial layout has also steadily expanded to multiple locations, including Urumqi City, Altay Prefecture, and Kashi Prefecture, injecting strong momentum into the regional economic development.

These remarkable achievements not only showcase the vibrant momentum of Xinjiang's current logistics development but also lay the groundwork for deeper strategic planning in the future. Xinjiang Airports Group plans to launch the "Yihang Special Line," aiming to bridge the "last mile" connectivity for fresh produce cold chains, medical supplies, and other critical areas. Additionally, the group intends to establish a "drone reserve network for emergency supplies," enabling precise and timely delivery of medical and daily necessities during extreme weather conditions and emergency rescue operations, thereby effectively safeguarding people's livelihood needs.

Making collaborative innovation so as to inject new impetus for open development

The development of Xinjiang's air ports lies not only in enhancing its transportation capacity but also in driving industrial synergy and upgrading, achieving a magnificent transformation from a corridor economy to an industrial economy.

On May 14, 2025, the unveiling of the Shenzhen-Xinjiang Remote Cargo Terminal at the Northern Cargo Area of Urumqi Tianshan International Airport marked a new milestone in the collaboration between the eastern and western regions of China. Xinjiang Airports Group and Shenzhen Airport Group have joined hands to construct a three-dimensional cargo network connecting "Urumqi—Shenzhen—Global," engaging in full-industry-chain cooperation in areas such as airport-related economies and cross-border e-commerce. This collaboration enables Xinjiang's agricultural products to reach the world via Shenzhen and Shenzhen's high-end manufactured goods to radiate across Europe and Asia through Urumqi, heralding a new era of mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.

Photo taken on April 21, 2025 shows the "Yuexin Express," China's first cross-border rail-air intermodal train, in Urumqi City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Xu Ye)

The "Yuexin (meaning Guangdong-Xinjiang) Express," a cross-border rail-air intermodal freight train that arrived in Urumqi on April 21, 2025, represents a groundbreaking national initiative adopting the "domestic railway + international aviation" model. This innovative approach integrates railway trunk lines with aviation corridors to establish a seamlessly connected cross-border logistics system, injecting new momentum into ensuring the stable and smooth operation of international supply and industrial chains.

Xinjiang Airports Group currently operates 31 all-cargo air routes connecting Europe and Central Asia, and has successively launched new trunk lines such as the "Guangdong-Xinjiang-Europe" and "Guangdong-Xinjiang-Central Asia" routes. It is gradually forming a logistics system that is rooted in Xinjiang, connects the entire country, and radiates across Europe and Asia, aiming to better serve high-level opening-up to the outside world.

In recent years, Xinjiang Airports Group has closely aligned itself with major strategic initiatives such as the construction of the "Ten Major Industrial Clusters" in the autonomous region and the establishment of the China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone, sparing no effort in promoting the enhancement of quality, cost reduction, and efficiency improvement in aviation logistics, and has achieved remarkable results.

In 2024, the cargo and mail throughput at all airports across Xinjiang witnessed a year-on-year increase of 47.5 percent. The growth rate of cargo and mail volume at Urumqi Tianshan International Airport surpassed the national average by 33.6 percentage points, hitting a new six-year high.

From January to April 2025, airports across Xinjiang handled 14.935 million passenger trips, 171,000 aircraft take-offs and landings, and 100,000 tons of cargo and mail throughput, representing year-on-year increases of 10.6 percent, 12 percent, and 50.9 percent, respectively. These achievements fully underscore Xinjiang's potential as a logistics hub within the core area of the "Belt and Road" Initiative, laying a solid foundation for deepening regional cooperation.

Xinjiang's air cargo sector is playing an increasingly vital role in the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, emerging as a significant force driving regional economic development. By promoting Xinjiang's unique and high-quality products outwards and introducing premium goods from other regions inwards, Xinjiang Airports Group is injecting new momentum into the high-quality development of the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt through the expansion of its route network and innovative business practices.

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