Illustration: Tang Tengfei/GT

Indonesia reiterated its commitment to actively strengthen air connectivity between ASEAN countries and China to expand regional market access and enhance its aviation industry. "Indonesia is committed to playing an active role in promoting aviation services integration between ASEAN and China to support economic growth, tourism development, and the regional aviation industry," Indonesia's Director General of Air Transport Lukman F. Laisa said, according to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) on Monday.

His remarks were made in relation to the 17th ASEAN-China Working Group on Regional Air Services Arrangements meeting, hosted by Indonesia's Transportation Ministry in Yogyakarta from July 7 to 9, where participants discussed issues including the role of air cargo in supporting e-commerce development, according to the report.

Indonesia's push to strengthen aviation connectivity between China and ASEAN is not simply about adding more flights. It is closely linked to the upgrading of China-ASEAN economic and trade cooperation, which has expanded from traditional trade in goods to broader cooperation in services, investment, supply chains and emerging industries.

For Indonesia, closer aviation links with China and other ASEAN members carry clear economic benefits. Tourism is one of the most immediate areas to gain. With China's outbound travel market continuing to grow, Chinese tourists have again become an important source of visitors to Southeast Asian destinations. Indonesia recorded a 9.38 percent year-on-year increase in Chinese tourist arrivals in May, reaching 125,460, according to Statistics Indonesia, as reported by the Xinhua News Agency.

Better air connectivity could further support the recovery of Indonesia's tourism sector. Destinations such as Bali and Jakarta, which already attract many international visitors, could benefit from more convenient routes and increased flight capacity. The impact would extend beyond airlines, boosting hotels, restaurants, transportation services and other tourism-related industries.

The economic significance of aviation cooperation goes far beyond tourism. China is one of Indonesia's largest trading partners and a major source of investment. China's customs data showed that bilateral trade increased 32.5 percent year-on-year in the first half of this year, while China's imports from Indonesia surged 49 percent. The strong growth highlights the significant potential of bilateral economic cooperation.

As economic cooperation deepens, demand for air connectivity is increasingly driven by business travel, investment activities and industrial cooperation. Chinese companies have expanded investment in Indonesia's new energy and manufacturing sectors, creating greater demand for the efficient movement of business personnel, engineers and technical experts. More convenient flights can reduce costs, facilitate communication and support deeper industrial cooperation, helping Indonesia strengthen its domestic industrial capacity.

From a broader regional perspective, aviation connectivity is becoming a key pillar of China-ASEAN economic integration. In recent years, China-ASEAN cooperation has expanded from trade in goods to services, the digital economy, personnel exchanges, supply chain cooperation and industrial investment. All of these areas rely on efficient and reliable connections.

Business investment requires frequent travel. Services trade depends on the movement of professionals. Exhibition and conference economies require international flights. Meanwhile, the rapid growth of cross-border e-commerce has increased demand for efficient air logistics, particularly for high-value and time-sensitive products. Aviation connectivity is therefore becoming an essential economic infrastructure rather than merely a transportation service.

As ASEAN's largest trading partner, China's closer aviation cooperation with the region aligns with both sides' broader efforts to enhance economic links and facilitate regional mobility.

The development of air connectivity is also consistent with the deeper integration brought by the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the upgrading of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area. As regional cooperation moves beyond the flow of goods toward the wider movement of capital, technology, services and talent, stronger aviation networks can help improve the integration of regional industrial chains, supply chains and value chains.

Indonesia's efforts to strengthen aviation links between China and ASEAN should be viewed as part of a larger economic strategy. More efficient air connectivity will not only accommodate rising tourism demand and support the recovery of regional travel, but also facilitate trade, investment and industrial cooperation. By improving the movement of economic factors across borders, aviation connectivity can inject new momentum into China-ASEAN economic cooperation and contribute to a more integrated and resilient regional economy.

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. bizopinion@globaltimes.com.cn