TEXT: STATE DEPT. ON U.S.-CHINA COMMERCIAL AVIATION AGREEMENT
(Agreement will expand air service between U.S., China)Washington -- The People's Republic of China and the United States have agreed to significantly expand commercial air service between their two nations, according to an April 9 news release from the Department of State.
"Liberalizing our aviation agreements continues to be a top transportation priority for President Clinton. Airline consumers, businesses and the effort to expand trade and travel throughout the world will be well served by this significant expansion of service," Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater, who participated in the signing ceremony, said.
Under the new agreement, scheduled flights will grow from 27 to 54 per week; an additional carrier from each country will be able to serve the market starting April 1, 2001; U.S. carriers will have the freedom to choose the city of origin in the United States; and U.S. and Chinese carriers will be allowed to serve two additional cities in the other country.
Following is the State Department text:
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the SpokesmanApril 9, 1999
STATEMENT BY JAMES P. RUBIN, SPOKESMAN
NEW AGREEMENT EXPANDS COMMERCIAL AVIATION BETWEEN CHINA AND THE UNITED STATES
The People's Republic of China and the United States have agreed to significantly expand commercial air service between their two nations, it was announced today.
Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan joined Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright and Secretary of Transportation Rodney E. Slater in signing the agreement.
Highlights of the expanded bilateral aviation agreement include a doubling of the number of flights permitted, the addition of service by one new carrier from each country and removal of all restrictions on U.S. gateway departure cities for U.S. airlines.
"Over the next two years, we will double passenger and cargo flights between our two nations, add new U.S. and Chinese airlines into the market and allow more U.S. cities than ever before to have direct air service to China," said Secretary Slater. "Liberalizing our aviation agreements continues to be a top transportation priority for President Clinton. Airline consumers, businesses and the effort to expand trade and travel throughout the world will be well-served by this significant expansion of service."
"Although China is the fourth-largest trading partner of the United States," said Secretary Albright, "restrictions in our aviation agreement have held back development of air services. With this new agreement, air services will be able to grow along with overall bilateral trade. This is good news for our communities, our airlines and their customers."
Under the agreement:
-- Scheduled flights will double, growing from 27 to 54 per week for each country's carriers. A total of eight of the new flights will be available immediately, nine on April 1, 2000 and 10 on April 1, 2001.
-- An additional carrier from each country will be able to serve the market on April 1, 2001, raising the total to four per country. United Airlines, Northwest Airlines and Federal Express are the current U.S. carriers designated to serve the market.
-- U.S. carriers will have unlimited freedom to choose the city of origin in the United States. Previously, U.S. carriers were severely limited in the number of cities from which their flights could originate.
-- Both U.S. and Chinese carriers will be allowed to serve two additional cities in the other country. Previously, U.S. carriers were allowed to fly only to Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Cargo carriers may serve any city in China. Chinese carriers previously were limited to Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska, Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, Portland, OR, San Francisco and Seattle.
By April 1, 2002, U.S. airlines will be able to serve 20 more Chinese cities through code-sharing arrangements with Chinese partners, and Chinese carriers will be able to serve 30 more U.S. cities with U.S. code-share partners.
Further negotiations will be held within a year on such issues as additional carriers in the market, code-sharing between same-country and third-country airlines, charter operations and establishing U.S.-carrier ticket offices in China.
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