Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport in central China marked the milestone of handling one million tons of cargo and mail throughput on Sunday for 2025, with an all-cargo aircraft operated by Malaysia's Raya Airways landing at the airport.
This demonstrates the strong development momentum of the airport in the provincial capital of Henan, as it aims to build itself into a leading global air cargo hub on the "Air Silk Road."
The airport has set multiple records in cargo indicators this year. The maximum daily cargo flights exceeded 100, and the highest daily cargo and mail throughput surpassed 4,300 tons.
In the first 11 months, the import volume of fresh cold-chain products, such as durians from Southeast Asia and salmon from Northern Europe, soared by 208.7 percent year on year, making Zhengzhou an important distribution center for fresh products in central China. The cross-border e-commerce cargo volume handled by the Zhengzhou airport surged by 98 percent year on year, accounting for half of the international export cargo volume.
The airport now has 70 all-cargo routes linking Zhengzhou with 73 cities in 32 countries.
"Next, we will increase cooperation on aviation logistics with Malaysia, Ethiopia, Hungary and other countries, attracting more domestic and international airlines to Zhengzhou airport while expanding and improving the route network, so as to contribute more aviation strength in building a hub for unified national market circulation and a dual circulation framework for both domestic and international markets," said Li Xiao, director of the Aviation Marketing Center of Zhongyu Aviation Group.
Zhengzhou airport annual cargo throughput tops 1 million tons
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he estimates a deal with Iran will be signed "in the next day or two."
Trump said in an interview with Israel's Channel 12 News that the United States and Iran will probably meet over the weekend to finalize a deal to end the war. "The Iranians want to meet and make a deal," he said.
He said "the naval blockade on Iran is helping to make a deal. I will not lift it until we make a deal," adding that "the biggest part of this deal is that it will make Israel safer. This deal is good for Israel."
According to the channel, one component of the deal under discussion is that the United States will release 20 billion U.S. dollars in frozen Iranian funds.
In exchange, Iran would give up its stockpile of enriched uranium, and would be only allowed to have nuclear research reactors to produce medical isotopes, all above ground.
Trump also stressed that Israel must stop the strikes on Lebanon, saying, "They can't keep blowing up buildings. I'm not going to allow that."
Also on Friday, Trump said in a phone interview with Bloomberg that a deal to end the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran is mostly complete as talks over a lasting peace deal will "probably" be held this weekend in Pakistan.
Trump said in the phone interview that Iran agreed to suspend its nuclear program indefinitely, and will not receive any frozen funds from the United States.
"Most of the main points are finalized. It'll go pretty quickly," Trump said.
Asked if he would travel to Pakistan to sign the potential deal, Trump said: "I may."
Trump again denied that the moratorium on Iran's nuclear program would expire after 20 years. "No years, unlimited," Trump said.
The United States will get all of Iran's nuclear "dust" with no money having exchanged hands "in any way, shape, or form," Trump wrote on social media earlier on Friday. Multiple Western media outlets have interpreted Trump's reference to nuclear "dust" as meaning Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium.
Iran has yet to comment on any deal beyond the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, nor on claims made by Trump that Tehran had offered concessions, including over the key issue of its nuclear program.
If the United States continues its naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran will consider it a violation of the ceasefire between the two countries and will close the waterway, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported Friday, citing an informed source close to the Supreme National Security Council.
The Iranian side has yet to respond to the media report on the enriched uranium issue.
The United States and Iran had their first round of negotiations in Pakistan's Islamabad last weekend to ease tension in the Middle East. The talks, which failed to produce an agreement, took place after a ceasefire was announced on April 8 between Iran, the United States, and Israel, following 40 days of fighting.
Iran tightened control over the Strait of Hormuz after the United States and Israel launched joint attacks on the country on Feb. 28. The United States also imposed a naval blockade on the strait following the failed negotiations in Islamabad.
Earlier on Friday, both Washington and Tehran confirmed that the strait had been completely open for all commercial vessels. However, Trump said on Truth Social that the U.S. naval blockade would "remain in full force." In response, Iran warned of closing the waterway again if the U.S. blockade continues.
Trump says may sign deal with Iran "in the next day or two": Israeli media
Trump claims peace deal with Iran mostly complete: report
