Demand for air cargo travel reached record levels since the beginning of the year in July, with strong growth across all regions, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Overall demand was up 13.6% from 2023, marking the eighth consecutive month of double-digit growth. At the same time, cargo capacity increased by 8.3%, mainly due to growth in baggage capacity on passenger flights and freighters. Despite this, baggage hold capacity growth was the lowest in the last 40 months, while freight capacity growth peaked from January 2024. Global trade and a thriving e-commerce market are contributing to this growth. At the regional level, African airlines posted the lowest demand growth at 6.2% year-on-year, with demand in the Africa-Asia market increasing by 15.4%.

According to the results of the first 7 months of this year, the number of cargo transportation operations using the TIR system processed at the Manzhouli checkpoint /Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, North China/ reached 239, which is 7 times more than in the same period last year. At the same time, in value terms, the volume of goods transported with the application of TIR reached 130 million yuan /about $18.3 million/, the customs office in Manzhouli /Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, North China/ reported. The value of goods transported using TIR reached 130 million yuan /about $18.3 million/, Manzhouli Customs said.

TIR transportation is a global system of simplifying customs procedures in the field of international cross-border freight transportation, based on UN conventions. By simplifying customs procedures, it contributes to improving the efficiency of customs clearance as well as the facilitation and security of multilateral trade and international transportation. China joined the TIR in 2016.

According to local customs official Yan Yafei, with a TIR certificate, logistics companies do not need to organize loading and unloading operations in transit countries and conduct customs inspections of goods in transit.

“Thus, the time for customs clearance of goods using TIR has been reduced to 12 minutes,” he added.

“Transportation using TIR is mainly for some high-value goods, including electronic products, which have high value and are easily damaged,” explained Zhou Jian, an employee of a local carrier company.

The annual Sun Island Entrepreneurs' Conference was held from August 22 to 24 in Harbin, the administrative center of Heilongjiang Province. The main topic of discussion at the conference was the new quality of productive forces.

The conference, which focused on seeking innovative development in the context of comprehensively deepening reform and striving to develop new-quality productive forces in accordance with local conditions, attracted more than 1,000 participants.

Xu Qin, secretary of Heilongjiang Provincial CPC Committee, said at the main forum of the event on Saturday that Heilongjiang is accelerating the construction of an innovative region by building advanced technological innovation systems and modern industrial systems.

Addressing the forum, Fu Hua, director-general of Xinhua News Agency, said that as a state-run news agency and a new-type think tank with Chinese characteristics, Xinhua continues to expand research, interpretation and dissemination of topics related to new-quality productive forces.

Fu Hua urged the conference participants to exchange knowledge and ideas, and make valuable suggestions for the development of new-quality productive forces, which will help achieve new breakthroughs in the comprehensive revitalization of Northeast China in the new era.

The three-day event was jointly organized by Xinhua and the Harbin City Government.

China will impose export restrictions on antimony- and superhard materials-related commodities from Sept. 15, according to a statement jointly released Thursday by China's Ministry of Commerce and the country's General Administration of Customs.

The document noted that some products related to antimony and superhard materials cannot be exported without authorization.

The move is aimed at protecting national security as well as fulfilling non-proliferation and other international obligations, the document said.

“It is international practice to implement export controls on antimony, superhard materials and other related items,” a Commerce Ministry spokesperson said in an online statement.

The statement noted that the export controls do not target any specific country or region. China will authorize exports that comply with relevant regulations.

According to the statement, the Chinese government firmly protects world peace and the stability of neighboring regions, ensures the security of global production and supply chains, and promotes trade in accordance with regulations.

At the same time, the Chinese government opposes any countries or regions using China's controlled goods to carry out activities that undermine China's national sovereignty, security and development interests, the statement said.

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