Pang Yuliang, an entrepreneur from central China's Henan Province and chairman of the board of logistics company Linde Group, has entered the history books by becoming the first Chinese person to acquire the permanent operating rights to an airport in Europe.

Pang's Zhengzhou-based logistics company, Linde Group, whose English name is LinkGlobal Logistics Co., will acquire Parchim Airport in northern Germany at a cost of one billion yuan.

The company intends to fly cargo into the airport and also organise weekly passenger charter flights.

Parchim Airport is located just outside the city of Schwerin in northern Germany, close to Hamburg and Berlin.

The purchase was confirmed by a German representative from Schwerin who was attending a meeting in Zhengzhou on economic links between Henan Province, Lagos in Nigeria and southern Germany.

The German representative said Pang's Linde Group, a privately-owned logistics service provider involved in air freight, ocean freight and other logistics services, won the bid after beating 10 other competitors in an international tender.

Linde Group signed an agreement with Parchim airport authorities and notarized the deal in Hamburg on May 14.

Linde Group has bought the land and assets of Parchim airport, including all the airport equipment and installations.

Pang said his company was in the process of contacting a number of Chinese and foreign airport management companies to secure management services for the newly bought German airport.

Pang's company will provide air cargo services between Xinzheng airport in Zhengzhou and Schwerin once the management company for the German airport is decided, according to Pang.

Weekly passenger charter flights are also envisaged, he added.

(For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)