ADDIS ABABA, July 23 (Xinhua) -- An executive from Ethiopian Airlines, Africa's leading carrier and one of the fastest-growing global airline brands, has said that the recently-launched cargo flight service to China's Urumqi is poised to serve as a "vital cargo corridor" between Africa and Asia.
In a recent interview with Xinhua, Dereje Derero, managing director of cargo and logistics services at Ethiopian Airlines, said that the company is proud to launch its 11th gateway to China.
The new twice-weekly cargo service between Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, and Urumqi, the capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, will have "a lot of advantages" in fostering trade and socioeconomic collaboration between China and Africa, while strengthening the broader Africa-Asia trade and economic ties, according to Derero.
He said the new service that commenced on June 27 marked the first direct air cargo route connecting the wider African continent to China's northwest region, which "will enhance trade cooperation between the two sides through efficient transportation of cargo."
Ethiopian Airlines currently operates more than 190 weekly flights to 27 destinations across Asia, including 83 weekly passenger and cargo flights to 11 cities in China, said Derero, noting that the new cargo route "marks another milestone in Ethiopian's mission to strengthen Africa-Asia connectivity and further position Addis Ababa as a critical global cargo hub."
Describing Ethiopian Airlines' market presence in China as "very big," Derero reiterated the company's strong commitment to further expanding its footprint in China, thereby propelling Sino-Africa socioeconomic and people-to-people ties.
"China is a strategic market for Ethiopian Airlines. Operating to 11 destinations in China is big, and now, we want to increase, not only opening new destinations, but also increasing the frequency of our flights from China to Africa, and enhancing trade cooperation between the two sides," he said.
On June 27, the inaugural flight was welcomed with a colorful ceremony and traditional water cannon salute upon arrival at Urumqi, with the new flight to operate every Monday and Thursday, according to a statement from Ethiopian Airlines.
The airline transports nearly one million tonnes of cargo annually across a global network of over 140 destinations by operating a modern fleet along with advanced temperature-controlled and tech-enabled cargo infrastructure.
As part of its growth ambition, the Ethiopian national carrier is currently implementing a strategic plan, dubbed "Vision 2035," which will see it become one of the top 20 most competitive and leading aviation groups in the world.
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