China's civil aviation industry aims high

BEIJING - The Civil Aviation Administration of China published an action plan on Monday, aiming to make China's civil aviation industry one of the best in the world by 2050.

Under the plan, from 2021 to 2035, China will comprehensively enhance the strength of its civil aviation industry to not only take the lead in air transportation, but also have the world's most competitive airlines and aviation hubs, advanced air service system and general aviation system, modernized air traffic management system, sound security guarantee system and highly efficient management mechanism.

By 2050, the industry's overall strength will be further elevated so that it could satisfy the needs of the people, become a world leader in global competitiveness, innovation capability, management, and sustainable development, and fully participate in international civil aviation management.

Moreover, airports and air routes will be integrated with relevant information networks, while passenger and cargo transport will become highly efficient, it said.

Calling civil aviation "a strategic industry playing a primary and leading role" in China's economic development, Dong Faxin, deputy chief of the development and planning bureau of the administration, said the action plan had been made to meet the ever-growing needs of the public for safe, fast, convenient and quality transport services.

Currently, there are 60 air transportation companies, 3,549 aircraft, 410 general aviation airlines and 232 transport airports in China. Beijing Capital International Airport has the world's second-largest passenger traffic while Shanghai Pudong International Airport is the third largest by cargo traffic.

In 2017, China's civil aviation industry contributed more than 25 percent to the growth of the global civil aviation industry.