A plane lands at Yiwu International Airport. The airport has become a transfer hub for epidemic prevention supplies between Osaka, Japan, and Zhejiang province. [Photo/zgyww.cn]

China Southern Airlines will increase flights to Yiwu, Zhejiang province, making the international hub of small commodities trade more accessible to businessmen from overseas, local media reported on Aug 28.

According to an agreement signed on Aug 27, China Southern Airlines will develop new routes connecting Yiwu to major cities in the country and across the globe.

The municipal government will help the airline with project approval and construction of supporting facilities.

Yiwu's civil aviation has been picking up speed in recent years. In 2019, two million people traveled through the Yiwu International Airport, while the number was 1.29 million in 2017.

In November 2019, Yiwu International Airport passed the World Health Organization's evaluation to rank among international health airports, becoming the 13th Chinese airport to receive the prestigious honor.

Luo Laijun, vice general manager of China Southern Airlines, said the company has high hopes for Yiwu's civil aviation market and is willing to help make the city more accessible to international travelers.