China's civil aviation sector maintained steady operations in 2024, with both air passenger traffic and fixed-asset investment reaching record highs, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).
The industry's watchdog revealed that the country's civil aviation industry last year achieved a record passenger volume of 730 million and a cargo and mail volume of 8.98 million metric tons, with year-on-year increases of 17.9 percent and 22.1 percent, respectively.
During the same period, the number of international flights surged to weekly 6,400, reaching 84 percent of pre-pandemic levels, with the international cargo and mail volume jumping by 29.3 percent.
Thanks to record passenger numbers and steady growth in cargo volumes, the sector in 2024 reduced its losses by 19.24 billion yuan (around 2.62 billion U.S. dollars) from a year ago, hitting the break-even point and swinging back into the black.
From January to December, the sector's fixed-asset investment exceeded 100 billion yuan (roughly 13.64 billion U.S. dollars) for the fifth straight year, hitting a record high of 135 billion yuan (about 18.41 billion U.S. dollars), the CAAC highlighted.
In 2024, China's aviation infrastructure underwent significant expansion, with the addition of five new runways, 25 aircraft parking stands, and 19,000 square meters of terminal building area. This growth brought the total number of transport airports to 263, with a combined capacity to handle 1.5 billion passengers. Additionally, the first phase of control capacity improvement projects was fully implemented.
The year also saw steady progress on key projects outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), including the development of advanced air traffic control radar systems, weather radar networks, and expanded communication networks. Furthermore, the country's air route network was enhanced with the introduction of 45 new routes, spanning a total of 8,349 kilometers.
China's civil aviation sees record-high passenger trips, fixed-asset investment in 2024
China has pledged deeper ties with its neighbors to foster common development and stability, following a central conference on work related to neighboring countries, which saw Chinese ambassadors from around the region gather in Beijing this week.
The diplomats and experts attending the conference said the country is working to promote regional collaboration amid growing global uncertainties, strengthening its ties with its neighbors in a way that takes account of both the regional and the global context.
"The trade volume between China and Malaysia reached 212 billion U.S. dollars [in 2024], marking an 11.4 percent year-on-year increase. A large number of infrastructure projects including highways, bridges, ports, terminals and hydropower stations are being implemented across Malaysia. China-Malaysia cooperation epitomizes the broader collaboration between China and ASEAN. We are confident that under the strategic guidance of both countries' leaders, bilateral relations will reach new heights," said Ouyang Yujing, Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia.
"ASEAN and China are geographically close and culturally connected, making ASEAN our important partner for development cooperation. Our combined population exceeds 2 billion, representing a massive market with sustained rapid economic growth in recent years and promising prospects," said Hou Yanqi, Chinese Ambassador to ASEAN.
Other Chinese diplomats said China was being guided by the principles of amity, security, prosperity and win-win cooperation, to promote a shared future with neighboring countries, using its own development to spur regional growth.
This vision has led to concrete achievements, with a consensus on a shared future agreed with 17 neighboring states, Belt and Road cooperation agreements in effect with 25, and 18 regional nations now counting China as their largest trade partner. These deepening political and economic ties have cleared a path toward warm neighborly relations and mutual prosperity, according to other ambassadors.
"China has established comprehensive strategic partnerships with all Central Asian countries and signed Belt and Road cooperation documents. We are jointly committed to building a community with a shared future," said Han Chunlin, China's Ambassador to Kazakhstan.
"The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, as a pioneering project of the Belt and Road Initiative, has attracted over 25 billion U.S. dollars in direct investment and created 230,000 jobs. It has not only elevated China-Pakistan cooperation but also contributed to Pakistan's economic and social development," said Jiang Zaidong, the Chinese Ambassador in Pakistan.
As the global challenges brought by unilateralism and economic protectionism grow, China remains steadfast in advancing its vision of a shared future, strengthening partnerships with neighboring countries to anchor stability and renew hope, according to China's permanent representative to the United Nations, Fu Cong.
"We must steadfastly uphold fairness and justice, adhere to true multilateralism, safeguard the interests of developing countries, maintain the authority of international law, and firmly oppose 'might makes right'," he said.
"Our world has become highly interdependent. Attempts at 'decoupling' or forced division are not only impossible but also go against historical trends. We must promote shared development through global cooperation. This represents the true exemplar of major-country responsibility," said Wang Fan, president of China Foreign Affairs University.
China pledges deeper cooperation with neighbors to foster stability
