Air cargo JV to boost trade in central China

A joint venture between Cargolux Airlines International, Europe's largest cargo airline, and Henan Civil Aviation Development and Investment Co. Ltd (HNCA) is expected to build the central city of Zhengzhou into China's cargo hub.

The joint venture is expected to be launched next year and aims to be a global air cargo provider with Zhengzhou as its center, according to a document from the provincial government.

It is expected to launch cargo routes linking Zhengzhou with Chicago and Los Angeles next year.

HNCA, a state-owned enterprise with registered capital of six billion yuan (979 million U.S. dollars), bought a 35-percent stake in Cargolux in April.

Cargolux launched a cargo route in June linking Zhengzhou with Luxembourg. The cargo volume through the route had exceeded 10,000 tons by the end of November.

Cargolux's cargo volume via the Zhengzhou airport is expected to reach 200,000 tons by the end of 2016, according to the document.

The Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport currently has 22 international cargo routes, linking Zhengzhou with Asia, Europe, the United States and Australia.

Zhengzhou was approved as the nation's first air economic zone by the State Council, China's cabinet, in 2013.