From January to October this year, Shandong's international cargo throughput reached 173,600 tons, up 62.99 percent year-on-year and up 51.73 percent compared with the same period in 2019, according to the Shandong Provincial Department of Transport.

China Eastern Airlines' planes on the tarmac at Yantai Penglai International Airport in Shandong province in January. [Photo by Tang Ke/For China Daily]

Since the beginning of this year, Shandong has been ramping up efforts to develop its international aviation logistics network and enhanced its international air freight capacity to ensure the smooth running of the supply chain amid the COVID-19 pandemic, said local authorities.

Shandong has five international airports in Jinan, Qingdao, Yantai, Weihai and Linyi, with air routes to Britain, Russia, the United States, Brazil, Japan and other countries and regions.

The province has opened a number of international transport routes, such as the Jinan-London all-cargo air freight route and the Qingdao-Vancouver international passenger-to-freighter route, as part of its efforts to promote the development of the aviation logistics industry and provide strong support for foreign trade.