An air cargo route between China and Brazil has facilitated faster and more efficient transport of goods between the two countries and created more development opportunities.
Since it started in February 2023, this air cargo route has transported tens of tons of different types of goods between Xiamen, a city in east China's Fujian Province, and Sao Paulo in Brazil twice a week.
Operated by Ethiopian Airlines, the air route has facilitated the export of cross-border e-commerce goods, medical supplies, and high-tech products from China, while also supporting the import of seafood and fruits from Brazil.
"We guided the expansion of the cross-border e-commerce supervision center, doubling the warehouse area from 3,100 square meters to 6,500 square meters. We also provide one-stop services for warehousing, logistics, and customs clearance for commodities shipped via the air route. Security checks and loading for export products, and the unloading and sorting for imported products are simultaneously conducted, thus eliminating redundant handling processes. The entire process, from security check to full loading onto the aircraft, now takes just two hours," said Zhang Shuzhen, deputy section chief of the cross-border e-commerce supervision division of Xiamen Airport Customs.
Since the start of this year, 212 flights have transported nearly 15,000 tons of goods between Xiamen and Sao Paulo, including 5,000 tons of imported seafood and fruits from Brazil.
Over 12 million export parcels have been shipped, and the cargo load rate is consistently at 100 percent, meaning that each flight departs from Xiamen are fully loaded.
By the end of the year, the total export parcels are expected to reach 15 million.
"Thanks to this route, we have sold our e-commerce products to South America, which have grown from clothing and footwear to pet supplies, kitchen tools and etc. Many sellers from Fujian Province have established their own e-commerce platforms in Brazil, creating a complete supply chain system from production to distribution," said Chen Wuchao, general manager of Xiamen Lianduo Trading Company.
The route is part of Xiamen's broader efforts to strengthen ties with other BRICS nations, following the city's hosting of the 9th BRICS Summit back in 2017.