China's civil aviation sector reported steady growth in October, data from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) showed Monday.
In October, passenger trips reached 64.09 million, up 14.3 percent year over year. while domestic passenger trips came in at 58.29 million, up 10.5 percent year on year, international passenger trips surpassed 5.8 million, surging 76.1 percent year on year and having recovered to 96 percent of the level of October 2019, according to the CAAC.
The civil aviation market's freight volume topped 809,000 tonnes last month, with international freight transport reached 330,000 tonnes, up 52 percent over the same period in 2019.
In the first 10 months of this year, the sector handled 620 million passenger trips, up 18.6 percent year over year. A total of about 7.3 million tonnes of cargos and mails were transported, a growth of 23.9 percent year-on-year. In particular, the cargo and mail transport volume on the international air routes surged 48.5 percent compared with the same period of last year.
China's aviation sector maintains stable growth in October
The spillover effects of the ongoing Middle East conflict have driven up commodity prices in Ethiopia, taking a heavy toll on people's daily life, especially for the low-income population.
With U.S.-Israeli joint military strikes on Iran now exceeding one month and no clear resolution in sight, the economic aftershocks are spreading far beyond the Middle East.
As part of its response to U.S. and Israeli operations, Iran has restricted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, targeting ships associated with the United States and Israel. The blockade of this vital global energy route has driven up oil and gas prices worldwide.
In Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, long queues of vehicles could be seen at gas stations waiting for fuel. Prices of other goods are also on the rise.
"The prices of goods are going up every day. If the conflict continues, life will become very hard, especially for people with low incomes," said Zeynu Yelma, a shop owner.
Beyond rising living costs, the surge in prices has also hit the local construction industry.
"Over the past two weeks, the prices of building materials have risen sharply, severely affecting our work. The price of cement has nearly doubled. Sand and gravel costs continue to rise. The price of steel has also surged. If this trend continues, I'm afraid our work may have to stop," said Yetbarek Workenhe, manager of a construction site.
Although local authorities have been working to secure supplies, provide subsidies, and prioritize public services, the severe international situation continues to widen the supply gap.
Spillover effects of Middle East conflict push up prices in Ethiopia
