published by: China News Digest, Thursday, December 28, 1995

[CND, 12/25/95] U.S. airlines will soon be able to fly nonstop to cities in China, Retuer reported on Saturday. This is ensured by a bilateral aviation agreement signed by the U.S. and China, the fruit of two years of negotiations between two sides. Under the agreement, selected U.S. airlines will be allowed to fly directly to Chinese cities. Northwest Airlines Inc., for example, may begin nonstop service between Detroit and Beijing as early as April. Federal Express Corp. is allowed to make four flights a week to China, a significant increase from the previous two-per-week limit, though still shy of the company's goal of five flights per week. According to U.S. Assistant Transportation Secretary Patrick Murphy, other U.S. airlines can start to have talks with the Chinese government to set up routes between the two countries. Currently, about $6.8 billion are generated by U.S. air carriers from Pacific routes, while $7.1 billion from Atlantic routes.

(Ray ZHANG, Daluo JIA)