The newly inaugurated direct flight between Shanghai and Buenos Aires has begun to show its advantages for trade, tourism, and business ties between China and Argentina, according to a report from the Beijing press.
The route has enabled new logistical and exchange possibilities that strengthen connectivity between the two countries, the Xinhua news agency report, to which Argentine News Agency is subscribed, indicates. One of the first examples of this new scenario was the shipment of the first Argentine cherries of the season on the first return flight to Shanghai. This shipment of Patagonian fruit, selected by Extraberries SA, kicked off the commercial use of the route and evidenced its potential for fresh and time-sensitive products.
For Hernán De Bellis, Executive Director of Extraberries, the direct link is a substantial change for a product whose value depends on arriving with freshness in a highly competitive market like China's. He noted that the main attribute is the freshness of the fruit, and having a direct flight that can best maintain the quality, flavor, and appearance of the cherries is a differential that Extraberries always seeks to provide a better product to the consumer.
With the Shanghai-Buenos Aires direct route now operational, Extraberries is identifying new growth opportunities by planning new distribution models towards retail chains, e-commerce platforms, and clients requiring fast and precise last-mile deliveries. De Bellis highlighted that the improved logistics also opens up space to expand the company's exportable offer, including fruits that had never been sent to China commercially before. "As we are also blueberry producers, with this flight confirmed, we are already talking to clients to start sending blueberries to China in the next season," the entrepreneur stated.
Specialists underline that the new connectivity also boosts very attractive destinations for Chinese travelers, especially those linked to nature and unique experiences in the Southern Hemisphere. "January and February, coinciding with the Chinese New Year's Golden Week, are ideal months to visit destinations like Calafate, Ushuaia, and Patagonia, highly valued by the Chinese market," specified Feng Ziqian. In this way, Chinese citizens can escape the winter in their country to territories with a perhaps milder temperature.
In the business realm, the new direct connection also offers concrete advantages in sectors that depend on critical spare parts and close contact with Chinese suppliers, where transfer times directly influence operational continuity. For Juan Himschoot, director of Sumiagro, a supplier of machines and tools based in the Argentine province of Santa Fe, the reduction in total travel time and the predictability of the link represent a structural improvement in the competitiveness of companies linked to inputs, machinery, and industrial technology. "This new air route represents a very important opportunity for our business; the direct connectivity with Shanghai allows us to optimize times, improve logistics, and strengthen permanent contact with strategic suppliers," he expressed.
