Xiamen Airlines Chairman Zhao Dong Attends Global Summit on High-Quality BRI in Indonesia (Board Member of UN Global Compact Joins Multilateral Forums)

From May 24 to 26, 2025, Zhao Dong, Chairman of Xiamen Airlines, led a delegation to Indonesia for high-level exchanges. As a Board Member of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), he participated in key events including: High-Level Steering Committee Meeting of the UNGC Belt and Road Action Platform, Inaugural Global Business Summit on High-Quality Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Cooperation, and China-Indonesia Business Leaders Dinner.

The timing carries profound symbolism: the 80th anniversary of the UN, 75 years of China-Indonesia diplomatic ties, 70 years since the Asian-African Conference (Bandung Conference), and 25 years of the UN Global Compact. These anniversaries add special significance to the visit. The ancient Silk Road, once a bond between Eastern and Western civilizations, revitalized through the BRI, now serves as a vital bridge for global connectivity. Xiamen Airlines has been closely following and actively implementing this international cooperation initiative, striving to explore sustainable development paths in its business areas and promoting a green and inclusive model of cooperation with international partners.

Bandung Spirit: Reinforcing Institutional Frameworks

On May 24, the High-Level Steering Committee Meeting of the Belt and Road Action Platform of the United Nations Global Compact was held in Bandung, Indonesia. Comprising over 20 international representatives, the committee promotes standard-setting and pragmatic cooperation in key infrastructure areas such as healthcare, digital technology, energy, transportation, and agriculture along the Belt and Road routes through multiple expert working groups. The meeting reviewed the platform's achievements in corporate capacity-building and expert group expansion over the past year and mapped out future pilot projects and directions for global partner expansion. Committee members discussed key issues such as transportation connectivity, energy transition, and overseas compliance, sharing cutting-edge insights and offering valuable suggestions for the platform's future development.

In his speech, Zhao Dong addressed the symbolic setting: "Deliberating BRI development where the Bandung Spirit—embodied in ‘Unity, Friendship, Cooperation’—was born honors history while advancing a Community with Shared Future for Mankind." He urged cultivating more people-oriented, heart-warming, and high-performing projects, further expanded its "business circle," and enhanced its capacity to empower enterprises.

As Southeast Asia’s inaugural high-speed rail system, the Jakarta-Bandung HSR slashes travel time by 67% between the two cities, setting a prime example for Belt and Road flagship projects. During their visit, Zhao Dong and other committee members specifically chose to travel by high-speed rail to experience firsthand the achievements of regional connectivity.

Business for Good: Driving Sustainable Consensus

On May 25, the Inaugural Global Business Summit on Belt and Road Infrastructure opened grandly in Jakarta, Indonesia, bringing together over 300 representatives from the global political, business, and academic communities. They gathered to explore how to promote more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable global economic, environmental, and social development through high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. Airlangga Hartarto, Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, and Siddharth Chatterjee, the UN Resident Coordinator in China, attended the event. Li Junhua, UN Deputy Secretary-General and Sanda Ojiambo, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNGC CEO delivered video messages.

Zhao Dong spoke at the opening session, saying: "Aviation is a vital link in the global connectivity network, and accelerating the construction of the 'Sky Silk Road' is a must-answer question for promoting high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative." He called for more companies to join Xiamen Airlines in implementing the Belt and Road Initiative and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. He urged businesses to actively build a "community of shared mission" in participating in international cooperation, fulfilling social responsibilities, and promoting common development.

In addition, the summit released a joint statement titled "Sustainable Infrastructure Construction to Support the Belt and Road Initiative and Accelerate the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals." Zhao Dong and Cherie Nursalim, Vice Chair of the International Chamber of Commerce, jointly read the statement. It called on the global business community to actively participate in Belt and Road infrastructure projects, break down national boundaries, and strengthen collaborative efforts. The statement emphasized the need to use corporate innovation and cooperation as the core to jointly usher in a new era of a greener, more inclusive, and more innovative global business civilization.

Aviation Connectivity Lays the Foundation: Weaving the "Sky Silk Road "

Xiamen Airlines has long been an active participant in the Belt and Road Initiative. In 2013, it launched the Xiamen-Jakarta route, marking a new chapter in its international network expansion. Over the past decade, the airline has established regular flights to 17 cities along the Belt and Road, including Bali, Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh, and Doha. It launched 75 new international routes, achieving full coverage of capital cities in major Southeast Asian countries and serving over 16 million passengers from countries along the route. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Xiamen Airlines honored its commitment to maintaining flights, with its international flight execution rate consistently ranking first among Chinese airlines. It accounted for approximately 20% of China's civil aviation traffic related to the Belt and Road, effectively ensuring the smooth transportation of epidemic prevention materials and personnel. Currently, Xiamen Airlines is leveraging Fujian as its core hub to construct three major international transit corridors: Southeast Asia–Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia–North America, and Southeast Asia–Europe. It continues to refine the " Sky Silk Road" network, providing round-the-clock aviation support for regional connectivity.

While visiting the Jakarta office to extend greetings to its staff, Zhao Dong recalled: "In 2013, when I led the team for the inaugural flight, we had only one flight and five employees. Today, Jakarta has become one of Xiamen Airlines' most important overseas hubs. The growth of the Jakarta office is a vivid reflection of the vibrant development of China-Indonesia aviation cooperation." Currently, Xiamen Airlines' flight volume in the China-Indonesia market ranks among the top of Chinese airlines, with over 400,000 passengers transported annually. Zhao Dong emphasized that Southeast Asia remains a key focus of Xiamen Airlines' international strategy, and the Indonesian market is of utmost importance. The airline plans to continue increasing flights from Fujian to Indonesia and explore new destinations such as Surabaya and Manado, maintaining its leading position in the scale of China-Indonesia flights.

From the spirit of Bandung to the Sky Silk Road, from ethical business to green leadership, Xiamen Airlines has always been committed to fulfilling its corporate responsibilities with a pragmatic attitude, contributing to the sustainable development of the Belt and Road Initiative. With the Silk Road as its wings and cooperation as its sail, the chapter of win-win collaboration continues to be written.