Changshui International Airport in Kunming City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, has witnessed sustained high passenger flows as the 10th China-South Asia Exposition gets underway, with border inspection authorities reporting nearly 10,000 daily trips.
The annual expo plays a vital role in promoting multilateral diplomacy, economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchanges, according to officials. This year's edition runs from June 11 to 16.
Data from the Kunming border inspection station showed that, since June 7, the port has entered a peak arrival period for the expo, with average daily up nearly 15 percent year on year. That rise is driven by a surge in entries by foreign nationals, with travelers from South and Southeast Asian countries accounting for over 76 percent of the total.
During the event, passenger traffic is expected to exceed 60,000 in total, up five percent from last year.
Changshui International Airport has added and increased frequencies on multiple flights to and from Bangkok, Vientiane, Yangon and other destinations, with an average of 90 inbound and outbound passenger flights per day.
"We are from Bangladesh. We all came here to participate in the fair. This is the China-South Asian Expo in Kunming from June 11 to 16. We all are from Bangladesh and we bring our product to display here and to sell here. The impression is very good because this is not only a business part, another part is the weather. You are so familiar, so friendly, and we are very comfortable to deal with you. That's why we do like Kunming, come, again come," said an exposition exhibitor, leading a group of arrivals.
Border officials said they have made ample preparations for the spike in crossings.
"We have set up dedicated expo channels and adopted a zone-based, category-specific inspection model for inbound foreign nationals. We are also fully promoting an online pre-arrival entry card system, allowing travelers to fill in the required information in advance on their mobile devices. Additionally, we have deployed skilled officers proficient in foreign languages to proactively share information on the National Immigration Administration's facilitation measures, the expo visitor guide, and Yunnan's local tourism and cultural resources, creating an integrated first stop for border, business, and travel services," said Liu Jie, Deputy Head of the second border inspection team at the Kunming border inspection station.
The swelling passenger flows highlight the expo's significance as a major platform for cross-border exchanges against the backdrop of booming trade. In 2026, China-South Asia trade reach a new milestone as it surpassed 200 billion U.S. dollars for the first time.
Kunming's airport sees passenger surge as China-South Asia Exposition begins
