The IATA North Asia Cargo Day 2025 and Guangzhou International Cargo Aviation Hub Development Conference brought together over 300 industry leaders to address critical challenges in air freight logistics. The event focused on digital transformation through ONE Record standards, dangerous goods management, and supply chain resilience amid global trade uncertainties.
Digital Revolution with ONE Record
IATA North Asia Vice President Xie Xingquan highlighted the urgency of adopting ONE Record, a unified digital standard that replaces paper documentation with structured data sharing. The initiative has already engaged nine Chinese cargo airlines, ten airports, and major logistics firms in pilot programs, demonstrating 30% efficiency gains in waybill tracking and multimodal operations. Guangzhou’s strategic position makes it an ideal testing ground for this transformation.
Dangerous Goods Management Takes Center Stage
The conference unveiled China’s implementation of the updated IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, with particular emphasis on lithium and sodium-ion battery transport safety. A new “Dangerous Goods Trust Community” pilot launched in Zhengzhou aims to establish industry-wide compliance benchmarks, building on earlier collaborations with Shanghai Airport and China Eastern Logistics.
Cross-Border E-Commerce Demands Innovation
With e-commerce volumes growing 25% annually, participants explored solutions for faster clearance and enhanced visibility in express shipments. ONE Record’s real-time tracking capabilities were showcased as critical for maintaining supply chain integrity while meeting customs requirements across jurisdictions.
Industry-Wide Collaboration for Future Challenges
The forum facilitated unprecedented cooperation between airlines, tech providers like Huawei and Intel China, and logistics giants including Cainiao. These partnerships aim to standardize processes from pharmaceutical shipments to temperature-controlled logistics, reducing carbon emissions through optimized operations.
Policy and Technology Convergence
Regulatory experts emphasized how digital tools can simplify compliance amid shifting trade policies. The ONE Record framework was presented as both a technological solution and diplomatic bridge, enabling smoother cargo movement despite geopolitical tensions.
Path Forward for Air Cargo
IATA projects full ONE Record adoption in North Asia by 2027, with the Guangzhou hub serving as a model for integrating AI and IoT technologies. The Dangerous Goods Trust Community will expand to five additional Chinese cities next year, creating what Xie Xingquan called “a new era of data-driven, safety-certified air logistics.”
