China boosts air freight capacity to ensure global medical supply

China has boosted its international air freight capacity to ensure the smooth operation of global medical supply chains amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Photo taken on March 29, 2020 shows a press conference of the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council in Beijing, capital of China. [Photo/Xinhua]

By Thursday, China has carried out 23 international transport tasks of medical supplies with an accumulated transport amount of 406 tonnes, Zhang Qing, an official with the Civil Aviation Administration of China, told a press conference Sunday.

Noting the insufficient international air freight capacity and impeded shipment channels due to the outbreak, China will continue to add more charter flights and open new air routes to guarantee the smooth transport of living necessities and medical supplies, said Jin Jinghua, a senior official with the State Post Bureau.

At present, domestic- and-foreign-owned international cargo flights in China total 930 per week, which is close to the level recorded before the outbreak, Zhang noted.