Cargo giants from Middle East tap further into Chinese market, boosted by rising cross-border e-commerce

Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of the United Arab Emirates' Etihad Airways, signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Ezhou Huahu Airport in Central China's Hubei Province on Monday, the latest example of the cargo giants unlocking big trade potential between China and the Middle East.

The partnership will focus on increasing flight frequencies, opening new routes, and building joint solutions for cross-border e-commerce, cold chain logistics, and high-value manufacturing. The integration of Ezhou's hub warehouse with Etihad Cargo's global network will create a seamless two-way trade channel, strengthening market access for Chinese exports while enhancing inbound logistics flows, according to a release sent to the Global Times on Monday.

The upbeat comments came amid frequent economic and trade exchanges with Middle Eastern countries and as e-commerce cooperation showed great vitality and potential.

On April 26, Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport opened a direct all-cargo flight to Dubai, the first time for the airport to operate a cargo flight to the Middle East.

In December last year, Qatar Airways Cargo and Cainiao agreed to strengthen their existing partnership, aiming to support the growth of cross-border e-commerce and enhance consumer experiences worldwide, and the two parties have optimized logistics flows and cut transit times in major regions, including Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

China is a strategic anchor in our global cargo network, especially for e-commerce and high-value shipments. We've built a solid footprint with high-frequency services to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Zhengzhou, and robust links via Hong Kong and Macao, said Mark Drusch, chief cargo officer of Qatar Airways Cargo, in an e-mail interview with the Global Times.

In his view, cross-border e-commerce is reshaping China's air cargo landscape. Demand is growing for digital booking, specialized handling, and speed.

The carrier noted that its clientele in China spans a diverse range of industries, encompassing e-commerce platforms and technology exporters, as well as pharmaceutical and aerospace companies. It highlighted particularly strong demand growth from businesses operating in high-growth, high-value sectors.

We've responded with tailored products like Aerospace and TechLift, built specifically for industries such as semiconductors, aviation and high-tech, he said.

From China, the cargo business manages more than 800 tons inbound and more than 2,800 tons outbound of cargo weekly, with seamless onward connections to more than 60 freighter and 160 passenger destinations, according to Drusch.

Regarding the strategic cooperation agreement with Ezhou Huahu Airport, this partnership will amplify the airport's strengths across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, according to Stanislas Brun, chief cargo officer at Etihad Cargo.

Etihad Cargo has expanded its capacity to meet increasing customer demand in China. The carrier has increased its total flights to and from China from 11 in 2024 to a planned total of 18 in 2025, strengthening trade links between key global markets.

According to the General Administration of Customs, the country's cross-border e-commerce sector maintained strong growth in 2024, with import and export values reaching 2.63 trillion yuan ($365 billion), up 10.8 percent year-on-year.