Souce: China Daily & People's Daily

China has more aviation partners in Europe than ever before. While still negotiating with the Europe Union (EU), seven individual countries have signed memorandums of understanding (MOU) on air transport deals with China this year, a press official from the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) told China Daily.

Germany, Great Britain, Russia, Spain, Norway, Denmark and Sweden, all hope to enlarge their share in China's vast aviation market, said an official speaking on condition of anonymity.

The opening-up of the civil aviation market is irreversible considering the large demand from the population and flow of material on a global scale, said Wang Ronghua, director of CAAC's Department of International Co-operation.

"Despite close contact with the EU, we still have a long way to go before signing a formal China-EU aviation transport agreement because some articles that the EU defined are not acceptable," Wang said.

While negotiating with the EU, China has inked some deals with individual member countries, he added.

On November 26, China signed an MOU with Spain which allows airlines from the two countries to operate flights without being designated.

Each side can have five destinations at most and the number of weekly flights between the two countries can add up to 21, according to the new pact.

Three Spanish airlines including Air Europa and Air Plus Comet have shown interest in the new routes, saying they plan to open flights early next year or from 2006, Wang said.

Just three months before, talks between China and Germany bore fruit.

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http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200412/27/eng20041227_168741.html