A total of 193 flights took off from Zhanjiang heading to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) from Jan to Aug with 15,378 passengers on board, an increase of 64.96 and 52.91 percent respectively.

Of the total, flights from Zhanjiang to Bangkok rose 9.1 percent to 128, while passenger throughput surged 12.3 percent during the same period to hit 11,295.

A new air route was opened from Zhanjiang to Phnom Penh on May 4, with 65 flights and 4,083 passengers making the trip so far. August saw flight numbers to Cambodian capital jump a further 33.33 percent with passengers up 74.19 percent.

The rapid development of airlines linking Zhanjiang and ASEAN not only sets up a bridge of cooperation between two areas, but also breathes new life into the economy of the Guangdong province city.

In support of the further development of Zhanjiang Airport, the city's Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau has improved its inspection and management procedures with the roll-out of new measures.

The bureau will fully implement national preferential policies to cut costs for enterprises. With streamlined procedures, tailored inspection methods and automatic sampling of air cargo, it aims to speed up the clearance process.

Meanwhile, the bureau will provide enterprises with certification, consultation, comparison and training on the inspection standards. The qualified rate of products is expected to be guaranteed at the initial stage with improved self-detection capabilities of enterprises.