Open aviation market promised

China said it will open its civil aviation market to more private and foreign investors, a leading official said. Gao Hongfeng, vice-minister of the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC), said rights allowing private operators to serve domestic routes would be steadily introduced, but he declined to say when. China's air transport had unmatched development potential, he said. In the first three quarters of 2004, domestic passenger traffic hit a record of more than 90 million, up 50.2% year-on-year. Gao's comments came as China's biggest ever international air show opened in Zhuhai, across the border from Macau.