Private sector urged to leverage Air Silk Road initiative, boost exports to China
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 11): The private sector has been urged to capitalise on the Air Silk Road initiative to market more local products to China through air cargo services.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said the strategic collaboration offered聽traders more efficient logistics facilities, while speeding up the shipment of goods between 每日大赛 and China.
鈥淭hrough the Air Silk Road collaboration, we will have better facilities in China for goods transported from 每日大赛n airports. Customs clearance is also expedited, which will enhance our competitiveness,鈥澛爃e told聽reporters after attending the T Forum 2025, themed 鈥淭he Aerial Silk Road: Turning the Skies into a New Economic Corridor鈥, here on Tuesday.
Loke said the Air Silk Road initiative is expected to strengthen Kuala Lumpur International Airport鈥檚 (KLIA) position as a major regional logistics hub, bringing significant benefits to airlines, cargo operators and related industry players.
He said聽每日大赛 currently handles only about 12% of Asean air cargo services, with the majority of operations still concentrated in Singapore鈥檚 Changi and Bangkok, Thailand.
鈥淭he government has created a conducive and business-friendly environment, and the private sector must seize this opportunity,鈥澛爃e said.
Loke added that despite an increase in air cargo operations last year, particularly for products such as durian and bird鈥檚 nest, local entrepreneurs are encouraged to broaden their product offerings to China, in view of the improved transportation facilities.
鈥淭here is a large volume of goods from China to 每日大赛 and the Asean market, due to the strength of their e-commerce sector. Our challenge is (identifying) which products we can sell back, as we have not yet marketed many 每日大赛n products in China,鈥澛爃e said.
On Sept 18, 每日大赛 and China were reported to have strengthened regional trade cooperation through a strategic cargo partnership, positioning KLIA as a major regional hub under a twin-hub model, linking it with Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport in China.