A group of Pakistani buyers leave for Zhejiang province on July 30. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

A passenger charter flight of Hainan Airlines carrying 163 Pakistani buyers took off from the Islamabad International Airport in Pakistan and arrived at the Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport on July 30.

It was the first chartered flight bringing international buyers to China and make purchases on-site. Following COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control requirements, they will go to Yiwu, known as China's largest distribution center for small commodities.

In July this year, Zhejiang province released 10 measures to support the stabilization of foreign trade and foreign investment, which specifically proposed opening transport channels for businessmen via charter flights and regular flights.

The local government of Yiwu then arranged for relevant departments to encourage key foreign trade enterprises and business associations to organize such charter flights for international buyers in a market-oriented manner.

Officials from the Department of Foreign Trade Development of the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Commerce noted that the business charter flights helped strengthen two-way exchanges and cooperation and ensure stable orders for the local market.

Following Pakistan, foreign merchants from India and South Korea are expected to take business charter flights to Zhejiang as well.