Memo on bilateral transportation signed

Sources with the General Administration of Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said that China and Singapore recently signed a memo on bilateral aviation transportation.

According to the memo, the two sides will jointly increase the two-way aviation capacity by 75 percent in passenger transport and100 percent in cargo transport in the coming years.

The memo was signed yesterday by Singapore Transport Ministry permanent secretary Alan Chan and General Civil Aviation Administration of China vice-minister Li Jun, the pact allows passenger services to increase by 75 per cent and cargo services to double.

Significance of air transportation growth

Singapore Airlines and its regional carrier SilkAir currently operate 37 weekly passenger services and two weekly freighter services to Beijing, Guangzhou, Kunming, Shanghai and Xiamen.

It has just announced that it intends to increase its flights to Shanghai by two a week - using B777 aircraft - from the end of next month, making a total of 12 services a week. It also plans to replace the A310 aircraft on its two daily services to Guangzhou with larger B777 aircraft.

In turn, five Chinese airlines fly to Singapore: Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, China Southwest Airlines and China Yunnan Airlines.

They operate a total of 43 weekly passenger services from six cities: Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Kunming, Shanghai and Xiamen.

Over the past seven years, passenger and airfreight movements between Singapore and China have skyrocketed at a compound rate of 14 percent and 21 percent respectively.

With China set to be one of the fastest-growing economies in the region, possibly accelerating to 8 per cent this year, the increase in the allowable passenger and cargo capacity between the two countries is timely.

The steady growth of air transport will further contribute to the promotion of the bilateral exchanges, said CAAC officials.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)

CAAC Oversees aviation negotiations and contracts with overseas partners; representing China in international civil aviation organizations and inter-governmental activities.

S'pore going for bigger share of air industry

Singapore, which already has 10 percent of Asia's aircraft repair and overhaul pie, wants an even bigger slice. It plans to promote in the following four areas:

To broaden and deepen the scope of its repair and overhaul activities into new aircraft types and technologies.

To team up with Singapore-based companies to continue building a comprehensive network of local supporting industries.

To boost financial, legal and other infrastructure to encourage leasing and consultancy services, and improve airports to cater to more passengers and cargo.

To invest in efforts to move up the value chain in design and development.

(People's Daily February 26, 2002)