The private sector has been urged to capitalise on the Air Silk Road initiative to market more local products to China through air cargo services. Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the strategic collaboration offered traders more efficient logistics facilities while speeding up the shipment of goods between Malaysia and China.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Loke highlighted that through the Air Silk Road collaboration, Malaysia will benefit from better facilities in China for goods transported from Malaysian airports. The initiative will expedite customs clearance and enhance competitiveness. Speaking at the T Forum 2025, themed The Aerial Silk Road: Turning the Skies into a New Economic Corridor, Loke emphasized the potential of the Air Silk Road initiative to strengthen Kuala Lumpur International Airports (KLIA) position as a major regional logistics hub, offering significant benefits to airlines, cargo operators, and related industry players.
Loke noted that Malaysia currently handles only about 12 percent of ASEAN air cargo services, with the majority of operations still concentrated in Singapores Changi and Bangkok, Thailand. He urged the private sector to seize the opportunity provided by the governments conducive and business-friendly environment. Despite an increase in air cargo operations last year, particularly for products such as durian and birds nest, local entrepreneurs are encouraged to broaden their product offerings to China, given the improved transportation facilities.
Loke pointed out the volume of goods from China to Malaysia and the ASEAN market driven by Chinas strong e-commerce sector. The challenge remains in identifying and marketing Malaysian products back to China, as many have yet to be introduced to the Chinese market. On September 18, it was reported that Malaysia and China had strengthened regional trade cooperation through a strategic cargo partnership, positioning KLIA as a major regional hub under a twin-hub model linking it with Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport in China.