The first cargo plane from Urumqi Airport in China’s Xinjiang province has departed for Constantine the Great Airport in Niš, marking a significant new chapter in the cooperation between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Serbia an initiative expected to strengthen regional connectivity across the Western Balkans.

The inaugural flight also marked the beginning of a strategic partnership between Xinjiang Airport Group and Airports of Serbia, formalized by the signing of a Cooperation Agreement at a ceremony held in China.

“First and foremost, I would like to thank our colleagues at Xinjiang Airport Group for their warm hospitality and constructive meetings, which helped shape a clear vision for the future of our cooperation. The agreement we signed is the culmination of months of hard work and a shared commitment to establish Niš Airport as a key cargo hub serving the entire Balkan region. I would also like to extend special thanks to our partners at the logistics company Transfera, whose support has been instrumental in bringing this initiative to fruition,” said Mihajlo Zdravković, Director of Airports of Serbia.

Nikola Bogojević, Transfera’s Director of Operations for the Asian Market, also attended the ceremony marking the launch of the new air cargo route.

“We are pleased that our concept Niš Airport as a regional cargo center has been so positively received by both airports. We have to emphasize that this achievement is the result of joint efforts by Transfera and our partner in China, who provided essential support for the initiative. We are confident that this new route will significantly reduce transit times for shipments from China to Serbia and neighboring countries. Further process enhancements are already planned, aimed at significantly improving the end recipient’s experience,” said Bogojević.

Urumqi, located in China’s western Xinjiang province, has for centuries been a vital hub along the ancient Silk Road, once traversed by merchant caravans transporting goods to Europe. Today, thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, Urumqi is reclaiming its strategic role this time as a key node in the modern Silk Road, now spanning both rail and air routes.