According to Chile's Ministry of Transport, Chile and China have signed a new "open skies" agreement to further open the air travel between the two countries for both cargo and passengers.

According to the ministry, the new agreement, which is based on the free-trade agreement signed in 2005, will replace a similar one signed in 1996, marking the advancement of commercial relationship between the two nations.

The agreement will allow airlines from both countries to fly to any destination in the partner country, and also to transfer at any location. The number of weekly flights is limited, and domestic flights can only be managed by domestic airlines.

The agreement is expected to intensify the competition between the airlines of the two countries, and to stimulate the launch of more flights.

(China Hospitality News June 19, 2009)