China's current aviation turnover ranks sixth in the world, but
it's still not competitive enough. At a working meeting, CAAC
director Yang Yuanyuan sets the targets for China's aviation
industry over the following two decades.
"To make China a strong aviation nation, we set out a series of
objectives, including international passenger turnover ranking
among the top 10 in the world, establishing more than one
Asia-Pacific hub airport, and at least three airlines ranking among
the world's top 20."
He
says this target is based on the country's rapid economic
development, so he's confident that it can be achieved.
"China has set a GDP target for 2020 four times the current level.
Based on the general relations between a country's GDP growth and
its aviation industry's development, China's industry will maintain
an average annual growth rate of 10 percent, based on our 7 percent
annual economic increase. So aviation turnover by 2020 will reach
84 billion-ton kilometers, ranking second in the world."
Yang Yuanyuan says when the target is achieved, China's aviation
industry will be more competitive in the international marketplace.
The air transportation imbalance between east and west, trunk line
and branch line, passenger and cargo flights, will be finally
resolved.
China's aviation industry turnover reached 16 billion-ton
kilometers in 2002, up 15 percent from last year. The rapid
development of domestic and foreign trade as well as tourism
stimulated the aviation demand last year.
(Cri.com.cn February 9, 2003)