KUALA LUMPUR(April 1):A chartered cargo plane carrying medical supplies and e-commerce goods took off from Hangzhou International Airport in China yesterday,becoming the inaugural flight of a new dedicated cargo route between Hangzhou and Kuala Lumpur.

Operated by the Cainiao Smart Logistics Network,Alibaba Group’s logistics arm,the Hangzhou-Kuala Lumpur route will operate five flights a week.

Cainiao's senior expert in export division Yang Haiming said to enable a more inclusive global trade,the route connected Hangzhou- the home of Alibaba and Kuala Lumpur- the first overseas Alibaba-led Electronic World Trade Platforms(eWTP).

"The growing volume of cross-border e-commerce calls for a regular route between the two countries,"he said in a statement today,adding that the flight would also be loaded with goods on the way back to China which the company believes would boost exports from Southeast Asian countries to China.

Meanwhile,Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong said the Government and Alibaba Group have been working closely to drive local small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs)eCommerce export under the Digital Free Trade Zone(DFTZ)initiative to support a more inclusive global trade,in line with Alibaba’s vision under the eWTP.

“The eWTP regional eFulfilment hub at KLIA Aeropolis,together with the newly-launched dedicated cargo route,will help boost the cross-border e-commerce trade as well as advancing the growth of the logistics industry in Malaysia,”he said.

He said these would enable the local SMEs and logistics industry to participate in the global e-commerce trade and establish Malaysia as a hub for the region.

“The synergy among the eWTP hubs will enable Lazada,Alibaba's flagship eCommerce platform in Southeast Asia,to empower even more sellers on its platform to take part in global trade while also elevating the shopping experience of its customers in the region,”he said.