Hainan Airlines to play key role in connecting Belt and Road countries

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By CGTN’s Martina Fuchs

Transportation will of course play a key role under an international project as ambitious as the Belt and Road Initiative, with China’s Hainan Airlines doing its part to strengthen connections with Belt and Road countries.

“Hainan Airlines’ main job is to build air bridges from one side to another. As for the Belt and Road Initiative, our goal is to build more and more air bridges from China to some of the countries and cities in the Belt and Road areas,” said Sun Jianfeng, president of the company.

By flying more people directly from city to city within and outside of the Belt and Road, Hainan Airlines is also able to contribute to local economies along the Belt and Road routes.

“Hainan Airlines is very glad to be able to play a greater role under the Belt and Road strategy,” said Sun.

CGTN reporter Martina Fuchs in discussion with Hainan Airlines’ president Sun Jianfeng. /CGTN Photo

Other airline companies within the region will also benefit.

“Airline companies need to have many partners for stopovers before the final arrival. So whenever we launch a new destination, we have to find a partner, including other airlines or even some train companies, to transfer the passengers,” Sun said.

Hainan Airlines has a strong background of financial support. Its parent company, the HNA Group, is growing rapidly. The group announced this week that it had become the largest investor in Germany’s Deutsche Bank, which, according to the New York Times, is “part of a broader push by Chinese players into global finance”.