S'pore, China sign air services pact

S'pore, China sign air services pact

SINGAPORE: Singapore and China signed an expanded air services pact allowing airlines of both countries to operate passenger and all-cargo services between the two countries with no restrictions on capacity, routing or aircraft type, the Transport Ministry said on Thursday.

The agreement will provide opportunities for the airlines to grow, "riding on the phenomenal growth in China's civil aviation market," said Singapore's Minister for Transport Yeo Cheow Tong.

The pact was signed on Nov. 30 in Beijing by Yeo and Yang Yuanyuan, minister for the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC).

"The new pact will pave the way for even more air services to be introduced between our two countries, which will in turn lead to greater economic, tourism and social exchanges.

Singapore and Chinese airlines currently operate more than 170 weekly scheduled passenger and all-cargo services between Singapore and 18 Chinese cities.-- DPA