Romania and China are entering a new phase of cooperation in civil aviation, marked by the relaunch of regular flights between Bucharest and Beijing, and the opportunity to deepen institutional dialogue between the Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority and China's Civil Aviation Administration, Secretary of State with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Ionel Scriosteanu said on Friday at the inauguration of Air China's CA914 service on the Bucharest - Beijing route.

'It is a pleasure to attend today the inauguration of the first flight between Bucharest and Beijing, a new air link between our capitals operated by Air China. Romania and China have traditional, friendly relations, and I am glad to see our cooperation in civil aviation entering an important new stage, marked by the resumption of regular flights and the opportunity to strengthen institutional dialogue between our civil aviation authorities,' Scriosteanu said. He added that renewed connectivity can boost tourism, trade and investment.

Scriosteanu noted that the new service Beijing - Bucharest - Zagreb is a concrete result of cooperation between the two countries' aviation authorities and includes Fifth Freedom rights on the Bucharest - Zagreb segment. He also highlighted discussions held earlier in the day with the Chinese delegation on digitalisation, low-altitude economy, sustainable fuels and airport development.

'We also appreciated the value of sharing experience on airport development, opening and supporting air routes, digital transformation, specialist training and the safe integration of new technologies. Such dialogue can help us better understand each side's priorities and identify concrete areas where cooperation between our authorities and aviation-industry stakeholders can be strengthened. (...) We hope this new link will mark the beginning of a new stage in the development of our countries' air relations,' he said.

Director of the Foreign Ministry's Foreign Affairs Department Calin Mitri said the restored route will improve connectivity and create new opportunities for companies and citizens. He recalled TAROM's former direct link, operated from 1974 to 2003, and stressed that direct air links reduce distance between markets, facilitate travel and create favourable conditions for trade and investment. Direct flights also mean contact between people, he added: 'Each flight will carry not only passengers, but opportunities for better mutual understanding.'

Present at the ceremony, Zhou Xiang, chargé d'affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy, underlined the significance of the relaunch:

'Air China operated this route in the past, but it was suspended for two decades. Today, after a long absence of a direct air connection between the two countries, the resumption of the Air China flight linking the two capitals becomes, at last, reality. From now on, Beijing and Bucharest will be connected by three Air China flights every week. Moreover, this route extends from Bucharest to Zagreb, integrating our region even more into the aviation network linking Asia and Europe. (...) China and Romania enjoy a traditional friendship of over 70 years, and our practical cooperation in many fields has continued to deepen. This new route will bring us even closer and give new impetus to exchanges and cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, tourism, culture, education and people-to-people contacts. It will allow more Chinese citizens to discover Romania's remarkable natural landscapes and rich historical and cultural heritage, while giving more Romanian friends the opportunity to visit China and know it directly. I am firmly convinced that as exchanges between our peoples grow, the friendship between our nations will become even stronger,' said the Chinese diplomat.

Starting 4 September, Romanians will be able to travel directly to China on Air China's three weekly flights, operated Monday, Wednesday and Friday, offering faster travel and eliminating stopovers. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Oana Tilica; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)