East China's Jiangsu Province saw its cargo flight sector over the last two years surge by 489% compared with the level before the COVID-19 epidemic.
This is according to the provincial border inspection department, said Xinhua, China’s state press agency.
The number of international air cargo flights reached 13,686 in 2020 and 2021 (combined), as many passenger aircraft have been refitted into cargo carriers due to the epidemic, according to the department.
"The nearly fivefold increase under the context of the epidemic indicates the resilience of Jiangsu's foreign trade," said Chen Xiangyun, director of the department.
To facilitate international air cargo flights, Jiangsu has introduced a series of measures such as efficient customs clearance of goods, the border inspection department said.
Earlier this month, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said China’s air cargo industry had recovered to close to the volume it was at in 2019.
