Air Silk Road Brings Henan Closer to the World

Air Silk Road Brings Henan Closer to the World

河南“空中丝路”架起全球友谊桥梁

On February 6, Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, met with Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, who came to China for the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China. President Xi Jinping stressed the importance of expanding and strengthening the Air Silk Road linking China with Luxembourg.

2月6日，国家主席习近平在人民大会堂会见来华出席北京2022年冬奥会开幕式的卢森堡大公亨利。习近平强调，做大做强中卢货运航线“空中丝路”。

A cargo plane of Cargolux. [Photo provided to dahe.cn]

In January 2014, Henan Civil Aviation Development and Investment Co Ltd acquired a 35 percent stake in Cargolux Airlines International, the largest cargo airlines in Europe. Since then, Central China's Henan province has entered a new stage in the Belt and Road Initiative through international aviation cooperation. During a meeting with Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel on June 14, 2017, President Xi Jinping pointed out China's support in building an Air Silk Road between Luxembourg and Zhengzhou.

2014年1月，河南民航发展投资有限公司收购欧洲最大全货运航空公司——卢森堡货航35%股权，正式开启了以国际航空合作融入“一带一路”建设的征程。2017年6月14日，国家主席习近平在会见卢森堡首相贝泰尔时指出，中方支持建设郑州—卢森堡“空中丝绸之路”。

Cargolux has made striking achievements since its first launch 8 years ago, such as 14 weekly flights, 14 international destinations and more than 100 cities covered in Europe, America and Asia. Of Zhengzhou airport's total international cargo volume, over one third (850 thousand tons) was contributed by Cargolux. The Air Silk Road has helped inland Henan to achieve new breakthroughs in opening-up.  

8年来，卢森堡货航在郑州的航班由最初每周2班加密至每周14班；通航点由最初2个增至14个；航线覆盖欧美亚三大洲24个国家100多个城市；累计货运量85万吨，占郑州机场国际货运量三分之一以上，这条“空中丝绸之路”带动内陆河南实现对外开放新突破。

It is worth noting that the Air Silk Road has never been suspended even during the pandemic, hence a vital lifeline for the world as a bridge in the air.

尤其是面对突如其来的新冠肺炎疫情，2020年以来“空中丝路”不断航，为全球架起雪中送炭的“空中桥梁”。

During the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, the European athletes' super large sports equipment was transported to Zhengzhou by Cargolux first, and then to Beijing.

此外，在北京冬奥会期间，卢森堡货航发挥其专业运输优势，及时、高效、安全地为欧洲运动员运送超大超常规体育器材与设备到郑州后，再经由卡车航班闭环运送至北京，保障了运动员训练参赛需求。

"2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Luxembourg. We will take this opportunity to make more contributions to the belt and Road Initiative," said Zhang Mingchao, Party secretary and president of Henan Civil Aviation Development and Investment Co Ltd.

“2022年是中卢建交50周年，我们将以此为契机，再接再厉，为‘一带一路’建设贡献河南力量。”河南航投党委书记、董事长张明超表示。（中文来源/河南日报 记者/董娉 郭北晨 编译/赵汉青 王家琦 海报/王君艺 审校/张军平）