Chinese and American aviation administrative departments and aviation enterprises vowed to promote building safer sky, according to the ongoing China-US Aviation Symposium.  

"Although the aviation safety record in the United States is satisfying, we still need to work in partnership with world industry to bring the accident rate even lower than it is today. In recent years, aviation safety in China has been greatly improved. China is the fastest growing nation in terms of aviation transportation growth at the rate of 15 percent on average annually," said Joe Tymczyszyn, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) senior representative in Beijing.

China and the United States now have frequent exchanges on aviation cooperation. Six weeks ago, FAA director Marion C. Blakey visited China. Two weeks ago, experts from both nations discussed aircraft certificate recognition in Shanghai. FAA and the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) also agreed on establishing air traffic management cooperation.

Tymczyszyn said Chinese aviation experts will visit the FAA and many US airports in autumn, in order to carry out cooperation in airport security management, statistics collection, analysis and investigation, in order to prevent accidents.

He said from last week, the two nations have started negotiation on a bilateral aviation security agreement. Cooperation is the only method to reach a seamless operation, and also the key to reducing the cost and increasing safety.

By the end of last year, China's airlines have continuously operated 3.03 million safe hours, surpassing the record high. China's safety still needs to be increased. China need to cooperate with international counterparts to build safer sky, said Tang Yiyuan, a senior official with CAAC.

(Xinhua News Agency April 8, 2004)