Ezhou, “City of A Hundred Lakes”, with rich historical and cultural heritage and beautiful natural sceneries, now presents a new look based on airport economy. Over 1,800 years ago, Sun Quan, the King of Wu, founded his capital in Ezhou, capitalizing on its strategic location and abundant water resources. The famous line “I’ve just drunk the water of Changsha, and the fish of Wuchang I’d try” from China’s Chairman Mao Zedong’s poem “Swimming (to the tune of Shui Diao Ge Tou)” has made the fish of Wuchang widely known and ingrained it into the fabric of Chinese culture. With its favorable geographical position and excellent transportation infrastructure, Ezhou is swiftly gaining momentum, earning the moniker of the “Memphis on the Eastern Hemisphere.” It is a city on the rise, which embraces the future marked by “reaching the whole country in one day and connecting the world every other day”.
On July 17, 2022, Ezhou Huahu Airport was officially put into operation. Within a year, the airport has swiftly established itself as a vital hub, creating a comprehensive “1-2-3 circle” for passenger travel and efficient goods transportation. Positioned as Asia’s first and the world’s fourth cargo-focused airport, Ezhou Huahu Airport effectively bridges a critical gap in China’s professional cargo airport infrastructure. It addresses the country’s aviation cargo transportation shortcomings and fortifies the security of the international logistics industry’s supply chain. Furthermore, the airport’s presence serves as a catalyst for accelerating the development of the Triangle of Central China, empowering the growth of the central region and the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and fostering the unification of the national market and the enhancement of a modernized logistic system. Undoubtedly, this pivotal development contributes to the realization of a new dual circulation development pattern, propelling China’s vision of global integration and unlocking a wealth of unprecedented opportunities on the world stage.
The construction of Huahu Airport is a top priority for the Hubei Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government. It has been identified as the most important project in the province, with the goal of establishing an international first-class air cargo hub. The airport will be seamlessly connected to the Wuhan New City and Optical Valley of China, facilitating the flow of logistics, capital, and information. This will enhance economic growth and competitiveness, creating a new growth pole for the Wuhan metropolitan area. Additionally, the construction of the “Huahu Airport Inland Free Trade Port” will be actively explored, aiming to establish Hubei Province as a hub for opening up and high-quality development in the new era. Taking inspiration from the high-level opening form of Hong Kong’s free trade port and anchoring the goal and mission of building an international first-class air cargo hub, the airport will promote work in an extraordinary manner and accelerate the release of hub functions.
The fish of Wuchang, a messenger of culture, carries the essence of exchange, while culture, a potent force, fuels the flames of development. The exchange between Wuhan, a city with over a thousand-year history, and Hong Kong, a free port where Eastern and Western cultures meet and collide, can create a dazzling fusion. Hong Kong has been a crucial partner for Hubei, serving as its largest trading partner, primary source of overseas investment, and the most important window for opening up to the outside world. The Federation of Hong Kong Hubei Associations and Friendship Association will act as a bridge, relying on the Hubei-Hong Kong high-level cooperation mechanism to build better platforms and promote exchanges and cooperation between the two regions. Inviting representatives and young talents from all walks of life in Hong Kong to visit and invest in Hubei will help integrate the unique advantages of both places, unlock their potential, and create a better future for Hubei and Hong Kong. This will contribute to the great cause of national rejuvenation. (Reported by Cao Yan and Zhang Xi from Ezhou All Media Center)