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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, March 29, 2002

China, India Open Direct Air Links

The China Eastern Airlines Airbus 340, carrying about 100 passengers, was seen off Thursday from Beijing's International Airport and arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, after seven hours and 10 minutes, which signals the opening of direct commercial air links between the two countries.


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China, India Open Direct Air Links
China and India opened direct commercial air links Thursday, a move to facilitate personnel exchange and promote mutual understanding between the two countries and two peoples.

The China Eastern Airlines Airbus 340, carrying about 100 passengers, was seen off from Beijing's International Airport.

The direct flight between China and India which began Thursday is an important issue for bilateral relations, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue Thursday.

"It is a big event in the history of relations and We hope that this airline can serve as a bond connecting the two people, a bond of friendship", the spokeswoman said.

"There is a great interest in India in China," Indian Ambassador Shivshankar Menon said before the China Eastern plane took off. He said the air link "reflects the boom in trade relations."

On a visit to India in January, Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji said the two nations would aim for $10 billion in trade this year, up from around $3 billion last year.

China Eastern said it would fly from Beijing to New Delhi on Mondays and Shanghai to New Delhi on Thursdays. Previously, travelers had to make the trip indirectly via Hong Kong, Singapore, and other Asian cities.

"For the China aviation industry, India is a new destination," said Bao Peide, vice director of China's Civil Aviation Administration. "We are not quite familiar with Indian airspace but we've fully prepared for this flight and we're confident of doing a good job."

India's foreign minister, Jaswant Singh, is to take the flight the other way when he arrives Friday for meetings with Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, the Indian Embassy in Beijing said.



By People's Daily Online


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