Chinese-made low-altitude equipment accelerates expansion in overseas market

The Low-Altitude Industry Innovation and Development Conference, held in Shihezi City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Friday, attracted a notable presence of international buyers, signaling the accelerating global expansion of Chinese-made low-altitude equipment, particularly civilian drones.

A leading Chinese manufacturer of large unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) stole the spotlight by securing 76 procurement and operational service agreements, making a historic breakthrough in the overseas market for Chinese civilian drones. The total value of these international orders exceeded 1 billion yuan (about 140 million U.S. dollars).

Among the deals, a significant agreement was signed with Indonesia's PT Unmanned Air Transport for the purchase of 20 drone systems, including the UAV model, named HY100.

"China is the leading factory with the leading technology for large cargo drone. And then I want to bring these to Indonesia and use this HY100 in Indonesia, because it can take a lot of cargo, large amount of cargo, two tons of cargo crossing the sea, go to the frontier to where the normal aircraft cannot fly," said Agung Sasongkojati, CEO of PT Unmanned Air Transport Indonesia.

Developed by Ursa Aeronautical, HY100 is a fixed-wing large UAV with a maximum takeoff weight of 5.25 tonnes and a maximum payload capacity of 1.9 tonnes.

"Our international orders mark the first true step for civilian drones to enter the international market. In the future, we will follow the national development strategy of the Belt and Road Initiative to expand our overseas markets," said Zhong Zhiyong, president of Ursa Aeronautical Technology Co., Ltd.

Officials with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said that Xinjiang will fully leverage its advantage as a gateway for westward opening up, actively planning and promoting the development of the "Air Silk Road."

The low-altitude equipment industry will serve as a key pillar for regional economic growth and international connectivity, according to the officials.

"By deepening cooperation with Central Asian and West Asian countries in economy and trade, logistics, and other fields, we aim to accelerate the development of low-altitude services such as cross-border transportation and medical transfers, promote enterprises to expand into international markets like Indonesia and Kazakhstan, and expedite the global outreach of low-altitude equipment," said Zhong Zhihong, chief engineer with the MIIT.

Chinese-made low-altitude equipment accelerates expansion in overseas market

China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao outlined the key priorities of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting, which opened on Friday in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province.

In an interview with CGTN ahead of the two-day meeting, Wang said free trade, digital cooperation and green economy are high on the agenda of the meeting.

"The key areas include advancing regional economic integration and the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, supporting the World Trade Organization (WTO) in strengthening digital cooperation and developing green economy. At present, the international situation is marked by intertwined turbulence and chaos, with intensified geopolitical instability. The rise of unilateralism and protectionism poses serious challenges to the international economic and trade order, disrupting global and Asia-Pacific development. Against this backdrop, all parties have higher expectations for this trade ministers' meeting, hoping that it can build consensus and deliver outcomes," Wang said.

This year marks China's third time hosting the APEC meetings and the 35th anniversary of its membership.

By 2025, China had become the largest trading partner of 13 APEC economies. Trade between China and APEC economies reached 3.7 trillion U.S. dollars, accounting for 57.8 percent of China's total foreign trade.

China has signed 24 free trade agreements or economic and trade arrangements with 31 countries and regions, including 15 APEC economies. In recent years, China has also completed upgrades of free trade agreements with APEC economies such as Singapore and Peru.

The minister said that China has always been a firm supporter and an important contributor to APEC.

"We have actively shared our vast market and development opportunities with all parties. China's door to the world will only open wider and wider. Facing the common challenges, China will continue to fulfill its responsibilities as a major country, further deepen reform, expand high-standard opening-up, and continue to provide new opportunities for the Asia-Pacific region and the world with its new achievements in Chinese modernization," the minister said.

China's Commerce Minister outlines priorities for 32nd APEC trade ministers' meeting