On the occasion of the 12th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) recently jointly released the Development Report on the Air Silk Road (hereinafter referred to as the report). The report comprehensively showcases the achievements in building the Air Silk Road, further consolidates cooperation consensus, and outlines prospects for future collaboration. The report notes that in recent years, thanks to the joint efforts of all parties, the "circle of friends" of the Air Silk Road has continued to expand, cooperation areas have broadened, and its service and support functions have been fully demonstrated, making positive contributions to advancing the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
The concept of the "Air Silk Road" was first proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2017. It is an important component of the BRI and a key part of building a comprehensive "four-in-one" connectivity layout encompassing land, sea, air, and cyberspace. The report reveals that China currently operates scheduled passenger flights to 61 Belt and Road partner countries and cargo flights to 33 partner countries. Chinese air carriers have historically operated international routes to 110 partner countries, initially forming an air corridor covering the six economic corridors of the Belt and Road. As of the end of June 2025, China has signed inter-governmental air service agreements with 107 partner countries, covering nearly 70% of them. From 2017 to the end of June 2025, China and partner countries completed a cumulative total of 1.559 million flights, transported 200 million passengers, and handled 5.951 million tons of cargo and mail, accounting for 59.3%, 59.2%, and 25.8% of international air transport, respectively.
The report highlights the Air Silk Road's progress, including the expansion of the air transport network, enhanced technical equipment cooperation, and improvements in civil aviation infrastructure collaboration. It also notes advancements in aviation hub development, strengthened policy communication, and steady progress in aligning rules and standards. Additionally, the report underscores achievements in the education of professionals, enriched cooperation platforms, and practical steps in emergency management collaboration. It summarizes the experience of high-quality building of the Air Silk Road as the "Four Always" principles: always adhering to openness and inclusiveness to enhance connectivity; always pursuing common development to promote fairness and inclusiveness, always driving innovation to enhance development momentum; and always prioritizing ecology to achieve green development. The report also looks ahead to the next golden decade of Air Silk Road development, outlining key cooperation directions and areas in three aspects: jointly reinforcing the cooperation foundation, expanding cooperation fields, and creating a better future.
A representative from the Department of Development Planning, CAAC stated that the next steps will continue to uphold the important guiding principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits; open, green, and clean cooperation; and high standards, sustainability, and people-centered approaches. Efforts will be made to coordinate the advancement of high-quality development and high-level openness in civil aviation, working hand-in-hand with partner countries to accelerate the building of a safe, reliable, convenient, efficient, green, and mutually beneficial Air Silk Road. This will contribute to the economic and social development of partner countries and foster a new and greater role in building a community with a shared future for mankind.
