China's current aviation turnover ranks sixth in the world, but it's still not competitive enough. At a working meeting, CAAC director Yang Yuanyuan sets the targets for China's aviation industry over the following two decades.

"To make China a strong aviation nation, we set out a series of objectives, including international passenger turnover ranking among the top 10 in the world, establishing more than one Asia-Pacific hub airport, and at least three airlines ranking among the world's top 20."

He says this target is based on the country's rapid economic development, so he's confident that it can be achieved.

"China has set a GDP target for 2020 four times the current level. Based on the general relations between a country's GDP growth and its aviation industry's development, China's industry will maintain an average annual growth rate of 10 percent, based on our 7 percent annual economic increase. So aviation turnover by 2020 will reach 84 billion-ton kilometers, ranking second in the world."

Yang Yuanyuan says when the target is achieved, China's aviation industry will be more competitive in the international marketplace. The air transportation imbalance between east and west, trunk line and branch line, passenger and cargo flights, will be finally resolved.

China's aviation industry turnover reached 16 billion-ton kilometers in 2002, up 15 percent from last year. The rapid development of domestic and foreign trade as well as tourism stimulated the aviation demand last year.

(Cri.com.cn February 9, 2003)