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(Asian Wall Street Journal: September 27)
An increasing number of Chinese aircraft have been permitted to land at Hong Kong's Kaitak airport in the past year, as relations between China on one hand and Britain and Hong Kong on the other have grown closer.
Most of these were cargo flights, including several planeloads of crabs last year and, earlier this month, a planeload of footwear. A Chinese performing arts trouple also stopped in Hong Kong last month after a tour of the U.S.
Ticketing arrangements in Hong Kong are to be handled by China Travel Service, a subsidiary of China International Travel Service in Peking, and by the China National Aviation Corp., an airline that has been defunct for 29 years.
CNAC hasn't flown any planes since 1949, when Communist forces swept the Nationalist government of the late President Chiang Kai-shek off the China mainland onto Taiwan. There was a split within CNAC, with some planes flying to Taiwan, while the rest stayed in China.
The Peking government, however, has maintained the company's registration in Hong Kong and used its office in Hong Kong's busy central district as a reading room where Chinese publications and photographs are displayed and sold.
Earlier this year, however, CNAC returned to the airline business, acting as Hong Kong sales agent for CAAC on domestic flights. The naming of CNAC as a ticketing agent for the Hong Kong-Canton charter flights indicates that China wishes to maintain the existence of the company in Hong Kong and, when the time is ripe. may even operate it as a second Chinese airline.
(Hongkong Standard: September 29)
A five-member delegation of the Civil Aviation Administration of China arrived from Peking yesterday to work out details for charter flights between Hongkong and Canton.
The team, headed by Mr. Lee Shu-fan, is expected to begin discussions today with CAAC's Hongkong ground handling agents, Jardine Airways.
They will also meet the Director of Civil Aviation, Mr. Ron Downing.
(Tin Tin Daily News: September 29)
All these reports are heartening because they indicate that China is gradually ending its isolation. Although (the planned air service) will be confined to Canton. it is believed that it will be extended to other places in China if things go well. Therefore, it is a good beginning.
In our view, the Chinese authorities should work for even closer ties with Hong Kong and Macau. We are certain that our suggestions will bring more economic benefits to China.
steps should be taken to relax, or to cancel altogether, restrictions on people from Hong Kong and Macau going into China.
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