PRIVATE SECTOR URGED TO LEVERAGE AIR SILK ROAD INITIATIVE, BOOST EXPORTS TO CHINA

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 11 (Bernama) -- 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 said the strategic collaboration offered traders more efficient logistics facilities while speeding up the shipment of goods between Malaysia and China.

“Through the Air Silk Road collaboration, we will have better facilities in China for goods transported from Malaysian airports. Customs clearance is also expedited, which will enhance our competitiveness,” he told reporters after attending the T Forum 2025, themed “The Aerial Silk Road: Turning the Skies into a New Economic Corridor”, here today.

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Loke said the Air Silk Road initiative is expected to strengthen Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s (KLIA) position as a major regional logistics hub, bringing significant benefits to airlines, cargo operators and related industry players.

According to him, Malaysia currently handles only about 12 per cent of ASEAN air cargo services, with the majority of operations still concentrated in Singapore’s Changi and Bangkok, Thailand.

“The government has created a conducive and business-friendly environment, and the private sector must seize this opportunity,” he said.

Loke added that despite an increase in air cargo operations last year, particularly for products such as durian and bird’s nest, local entrepreneurs were encouraged to broaden their product offerings to China in view of the improved transportation facilities.

“There is a large volume of goods from China to Malaysia 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 Malaysian products in China,” he said.

On Sept 18, Malaysia 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.

--BERNAMA