Workers work at the construction site for the expansion project of Kashgar Laining International Airport in Kashgar, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Aug. 7, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua]

A new air cargo route was launched on Friday, linking Kashgar Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Moscow, capital of Russia.

Operated by Russia's Volga-Dnepr Airlines, an IL-76 freighter took off from southern Xinjiang's Kashgar Laining International Airport on Friday, carrying nearly 40 tonnes of equipment, electronic products and other goods from China. The flight was headed for Moscow.

It is the first international cargo route opened in Kashgar this year. The flight is scheduled to operate every Thursday, with a flight time of about six hours, according to the airport.

"The launch of the new route will provide strong support for trade between China and countries in Central Asia and Europe," said Zheng Dong, general manager of Xinjiang Commercial Logistics Group.

An important aviation hub along the Belt and Road, the airport connects capitals and major cities of eight neighboring countries, including Pakistan and Tajikistan, via a flight that is only one and a half hours.

Since 2019, the airport had launched six international cargo routes to Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore of Pakistan, Budapest of Hungary, Liege of Belgium and Cologne of Germany by the end of 2023.

In 2023, the airport completed the renovation and expansion projects to reach the capacity of 5 million passenger throughput and 60,000 tonnes of cargo and mail volume per year.

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