The General Office of the Jiangsu Provincial Government recently issued guidelines aimed at accelerating the development of international air cargo transportation.

Jiangsu plans to enhance the capabilities of Nanjing Lukou International Airport (NKG) as both an international air cargo hub and a global postal express hub. It will improve the services of Wuxi Shuofang International Airport (WUX) and Nantong Xingdong International Airport (NTG), focusing on their roles as regional hubs targeting specific regions and key industries.

By 2027, Jiangsu aims to double its international air cargo and mail throughput, with NKG expected to rank among the nation’s top ten airports. The goals also include achieving an electronic documentation rate for cargo of over 80%, reducing port operations and clearance times by more than 15%, and ensuring that 95% of imported goods are unloaded and cleared within 12 hours, in order to establish a reliable 72-hour global air cargo network. By 2035, it is anticipated that the volume, accessibility, efficiency, and service quality of the province's international air cargo sector will be among the best nationwide.

According to the guidelines, Jiangsu will accelerate Phase III construction and the development of the international express and cross-border e-commerce processing center at NKG, optimizing the airport’s cargo facilities layout. The province will support the establishment of Nanjing International Cargo and Mail Port, speed up expansions at WUX, advance the international cargo warehouse expansion at NTG, upgrade the flight area of Yancheng Nanyang International Airport (YNZ), and construct cross-border e-commerce supervision centers at Yangzhou Taizhou International Airport (YTY) and Huai'an Lianshui International Airport (HIA).

By 2027, NKG is aimed to operate at least five international cargo routes with a minimum of three weekly flights each, with WUX operating at least two intercontinental and Asian cargo routes, each with no fewer than three flights per week, and NTG hosting at least three weekly flights on its Asian cargo routes.

In line with the expansion of international air cargo routes, Jiangsu will increase the frequency and network of “truck flights,” explore innovations in air-rail intermodal transport and drone delivery, and promote the initiation of low-altitude cargo flights between remote cargo stations and airports.

Furthermore, Jiangsu will actively attract renowned air cargo agencies and top e-commerce companies, encouraging them to establish national headquarters, regional offices, and distribution centers within the province. Leading logistics and e-commerce companies will also be invited to participate in developing airport cargo terminals and logistics parks.