(L-R) Yuriko Backes, Luxembourg’s Minister for Mobility and Public Works; Liu Ning, Secretary of the Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China;
Credit: MMTP
On Monday 22 September 2025, Luxembourg’s Minister for Mobility and Public Works, Yuriko Backes, carried out a working visit to Zhengzhou, the capital of China’s Henan Province.
The minister held talks with the Secretary of the Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, Liu Ning, as well as with the Vice Governor of Henan Province, Min Zhang.
According to the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works, the aim of these meetings was to review the development of freight exchanges between Luxembourg and Henan over the past ten years and to explore opportunities for further cooperation.
Minister Backes commented: “I am pleased to visit Henan Province for the first time and I welcome the excellent, friendly and mutually beneficial relations between Luxembourg and Henan. This trip was an ideal opportunity to deepen our relations and to explore ways of strengthening them, particularly in the field of freight and more specifically in the area of sustainable aviation fuel.”
She also visited Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport, where she was welcomed by Henan Civil Aviation Development and Investment Company (HNCA) President Mingchao Zhang for a tour of the cargo terminal. The delegation was shown recent technological and operational advances at the site. Zhengzhou Airport is Cargolux’s main gateway into mainland China, handling about 63.5% of the airline’s freight.
Cargolux, Europe’s largest all-cargo airline, operates around 20 flights per week between Luxembourg and Zhengzhou, where it established its second logistics hub in 2014. In 2024, freight traffic at Zhengzhou International Airport exceeded 800,000 tonnes, with Cargolux contributing nearly 20% of the total traffic, according to the ministry.
The minister and her delegation were also welcomed by Henan Civil Development and Investment Company (HNCA) President Mingchao Zhang for a visit to the cargo terminal at Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport. The delegation witnessed the technological and operational advances implemented on-site. The ministry noted that Zhengzhou Airport is Cargolux’s main gateway into mainland China, accounting for about 63.5% of total freight.
The Luxembourg delegation also visited the New Energy Science Museum of BYD, one of China’s largest electric vehicle manufacturers, to learn about the latest developments in automotive technology.
In addition, Minister Backes delivered the opening speech at the annual Cargolux Board of Directors meeting held in Zhengzhou.
The minister underlined: “This mission illustrates Luxembourg’s continued commitment to strengthening its ties with Henan Province and to supporting innovation and growth in the transport and logistics sector.”
A couple of weeks earlier, Luxembourg had welcomed a delegation from Henan Province. See: https://www.chronicle.lu/category/at-home/56744-luxembourg-strengthens-ties-with-chinas-henan-province-through-new-agreements
