UAE carriers heading Eastbound for new destinations in China

Abu Dhabi, Aug 21, 2013 (WAM) - The United Arab Emirates represented by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has signed a Record of Discussion with the Government of the People's Republic of China in Yinchuan, Ningxia on 15 August 2013. The new agreement was signed by the Head of the UAE delegation Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of the GCAA and the Head of the Chinese Delegation Han Jun, Director General of the International Affairs Department of the Civil Aviation Administration of China. Representatives from Abu Dhabi Department of Transport, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Sharjah Department of Civil Aviation, Etihad Airways, Emirates Airline, Air Arabia, and flydubai attended the signing ceremony. Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi stressed the importance of this agreement, which will contribute to further boost the trade, investment and tourism between UAE and China. Adding that UAE and China enjoy a prosper trade and investment ties, with UAE exports to China exceeding 1 billion dirhams and imports reaching 54 billion dirhams in 2012. The two delegations agreed to increase passenger and combination services frequencies for operations to Urumqi, Xining, Kashgar, Yinchuan and Zhengzhou in order to keep up with the growth of air traffic between the two countries. Also, Chinese side agreed unlimited frequencies with 3rd, 4th and 5th freedom traffic rights at Haikou, Sanya and Yinchuan for passenger and combination and all-cargo services for the designated airline(s). Ms. Laila Ali Hareb Al Muhairi, Executive Director of Strategy and International Affairs, explained that an enormous potential lies in UAE-China air transport agreement, as tourists and investors are increasingly taking UAE bound flights with 361 thousand visitors from China to UAE during the first quarter of 2012, according the latest figures by UAE National Bureau of Statistics. – Emirates News Agency, WAM