BEIJING — China's civil aviation authorities are trying to create a safe and efficient international air logistics chain, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

Pushing forward under strict epidemic prevention and control policies, the move will boost the rapid and healthy development of the country's air logistics industry, said the CAAC.

The CAAC will make efforts to strengthen support, improve the industrial structure and develop a friendly environment for the air logistics sector, which helps sustain the domestic supply chain and facilitate the "dual circulation" of domestic and international markets.

Air cargo transport plays an important role in emergency medical supplies delivery in the fight against COVID-19, as well as sustaining the domestic and global supply chain.

In the first half of 2021, China's civil aviation industry handled more than 3.74 million tons of air freight, a 6.4 percent rise from the corresponding period in 2019, before the pandemic.