Chinese airlines strengthen Australian ties

Chinese airlines strengthen Australian ties
By admin


In the wake of yesterday’s China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, Tourism Australia and China Southern Airlines have announced they will extend their existing strategic partnership agreement, committing a further AUD$4.2 million for cooperative marketing in 2015.

This extended agreement was signed today in Parliament House, Canberra by Tourism Australia managing director John O’Sullivan and China Southern Airlines president Tan Wangeng in the presence of President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Abbott.

The agreement will jointly fund a range of tourism campaigns and promotional activities in Australia’s fastest growing and most valuable inbound market, China.

Tourism Australia and China Southern Airlines, together with State and Territory tourism partners, will work to build demand on existing services under the There’s nothing like Australia banner.

Tan said that Australia is the most important strategic market for China Southern Airlines.

“In recent years, China Southern has continued to consolidate its position as the largest air carrier in the China-Australia marketplace, with ever-growing brand influence,” he said.

“We are very satisfied with what we have achieved and have full confidence in the future prospects of the China-Australia marketplace.”

In additional airline news for China and Australia, Qantas and China Eastern have announced a new joint venture that will mark the start of a deeper level of commercial cooperation on flights between the two countries.

The airlines will now submit an application for authorisation to Australian and Chinese regulators, with the partnership anticipating the agreement will commence mid-2015.

The five year agreement was signed today by Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce and China Eastern Chairman Liu Shaoyong at Parliament House, in a ceremony also attended by Tony Abbott and Xi Jinping.

Through the new partnership, the airlines hope to ultimately open up new routes between Australia and mainland China, such as between Brisbane and Perth to Shanghai.

A key benefit of the agreement will be the co-location of both carriers’ operations in Terminal 1 at Shanghai International Airport, which will cut transit times by about an hour, open up a better range of onward connections and provide more choice for customers.

In welcoming the agreement, Shaoyong said “Australia is one of the most important tourist destinations and trade markets for China, and Qantas is the key partner for China Eastern in Australia.”

“It’s important for us to strengthen the cooperation with Qantas to provide better, more convenient travel products for passengers between the two countries.”

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