China's Jiangsu sees robust air cargo growth since epidemic

East China's Jiangsu province saw its cargo flight sector over the last two years surge by 489.2 percent compared with the level before the COVID-19 epidemic, said the provincial border inspection department.

The number of international air cargo flights reached 13,686 in 2020 and 2021, 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.

The province saw its foreign trade grow to a record-high 5.21 trillion yuan ($821 billion) in 2021, up 17.1 percent year-on-year, customs data showed.

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.

The gross domestic product of the eastern coastal province, where manufacturing is a pillar industry, grew 8.6 percent year-on-year to 11.6 trillion yuan last year.