XiamenAir taking Silk Road dreams to the sky
(chinadaily.com.cn), Updated: 2017-03-17
The Silk Road's sea routes were famed for connecting China's southern port cities with geographies as distant as the Persian Gulf and the Horn of Africa and so it is fitting that pioneering Fujian province company, XiamenAir, is taking on the modern mantle with ambitious expansion plans.
The details of Fujian province's only major airline were stressed during the recent two sessions held in Beijing, March 3 to 15. Che Shanglun, chairman of XiamenAir, outlined the development goals and anticipated problems facing the company at the fifth session of the 12th National People’s Congress (NPC).
"XiamenAir plans to solidify its traditional strong presence in Southeast Asia, while further developing its long-haul services to North America and Europe. XiamenAir hopes to serve China's Belt and Road Initiative aimed at raising worldwide connectivity," he said.
The XiamenAir is in good standing both in terms of its geographic access to other destinations and due to its native province being the homeland for a large proportion of the Chinese diaspora. The 32-year-old airline looks to boost its already sterling reputation through developing a dense network of routes stretching all around the globe.
Throughout its 32 years of operation, XiamenAir has focused on developing commercially while maintaining a strong social consciousness. Following the announcement in 2013 of the Belt and Road Initiative, the airline reacted by launching an additional 20 air routes along the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road making the total number of such flights 62.
Starting from 2015, the company once again extended its already impressive list of destinations by adding services to Sydney, Vancouver, Seattle, New York, and Amsterdam, thus offering XiamenAir as a bridge from Southeast China to the world.
During last year's NPC, Che proposed the construction of an aerial Silk Road, one connecting Fujian to world, and the notion was positively received by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
A promising development is that of the organization promising to support Xiamen Airport, the main hub of XiamenAir, become a powerhouse for aerial transportation in the region. Furthermore, the authorities pledged to promote Fujian in international aviation cooperation talks, a commitment that could lead to an expansion of international traffic rights and an increase in the number of intercontinental air routes flying through Fujian province.
During this year's NPC, Che highlighted the importance of exploring and developing the 21st Century Silk Road through civil aviation. The chairman of the prestigious airline suggested tackling issues such as flight scheduling and allocation issues to ensure maximum development of Fujian's aviation industry.
Che Shanglun, chairman of XimanAir, based in Xiamen, Fujian, attends the fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress. [Photo provided by Che himself to China.com.cn] |
The central government has recognized Fujian's importance in domestic and international transportation. In the country's blueprint for modern transportation development during 13th Five-Year Plan period, Xiamen was listed among China's 12 key international transportation links. Furthermore, Fuzhou, Fujian province’s capital city, was included as a national transportation link.
According to the outlined plans, extensive developments are in the works with transport and logistics facilities set to greatly boost the capabilities of the region's aviation industry. Included in these plans are the construction of a new airport in Xiang'an district, Xiamen and the major expansion of Fuzhou International Airport.