International air logistics center on horizon

Zhengzhou in Henan province has mapped out an ambitious plan to become an international air logistics center using its airport economic area.

The State Council approved construction on the Zhengzhou Comprehensive Experimental Zone for Airport-based Economy in March last year.

The area around the airport in the inland city has undergone huge changes during the past year.

The Zhengzhou airport now has 23 cargo flight routes, 90 percent of all the routes in Central China.

It is the only airport that is qualified to operate international express services in the region. Packages from Zhengzhou can be received the next day in 13 international cities including New York, Moscow and London.

Cargo flight routes to Europe have been developing very fast due to the huge demand around the country. Cargo from the Pearl River and Yangtze River deltas, the area around Bohai Sea and Northeast China are now delivered to major cities in Europe each day.

Sensing the area's enormous growth potential as a logistic center, a large number of companies have settled in the experimental zone.

So far, there have been 48 major projects with a total investment of 151.6 billion yuan ($24.7 billion) in the area.

The zone has also beefed up infrastructure to boost future growth, said Zhang Yanming, director of the administrative committee of the experimental zone.

"We will go all out to build a transportation hub with the airport at the center," he said. "Our goal is to establish a cargo flight network that covers all the major port cities in the world within a short time."

Construction of the second phase of the airport is proceeding smoothly. Terminal 2 and its supporting facilities are high on this year's agenda, he said. The terminal is expected to be put into use by 2017.

And six more international cargo flight routes are in the pipeline this year, he said.

Meanwhile, a comprehensive transportation network connecting the airport with railways and highways has taken shape.

Zhang said the committee has invited five foreign and one domestic company to help draw up the masterplan for the zone, which covers 415 square kilometers.

The goal is to attract world-class companies to set up branches in the area, making it an international aviation logistic center.

The zone has set its GDP growth target at more than 30 percent this year, while its gross industrial output value is expected to reach 200 billion yuan. Its fixed-asset investment is expected to double the previous year.

shibaoyin@chinadaily.com.cn