The Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Mr Warren Truss, has announced a new air services agreement between Australia and China.

The Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Mr Warren Truss, has announced a new air services agreement between Australia and China.

The new agreement will allow Australian and Chinese airlines to immediately operate up to 26 500 seats per week between Australia's gateway cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth) and the Chinese cities, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.  This is an increase of 4000 seats or 18% per week on these routes.

A further 7000 seats a week will be phased in over the next two years, to a total of 33 500 seats between the four Australian and three Chinese cities.

The agreement further allows for unlimited passenger services between other Chinese cities and Australian non gateway cities such as Adelaide, Cairns, Darwin and Gold Coast.

http://www.minister.infrastructure.gov.au/wt/releases/2015/January/wt013_2015.aspx  for the media release.