Within the framework of the China-Central Asia (C5+1) Civil Aviation Cooperation Working Group Conference held in Xi'an, negotiations were held between the aviation authorities of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the People's Republic of China, El.kz reports.
The main result of these negotiations was the agreement to significantly increase the number of permitted flights between the two countries to 124 flights per week. This frequency expansion will provide the designated carriers of both countries with more opportunities to meet the growing demand for air travel. An important aspect was also the permission to operate cargo flights without any restrictions on points and frequencies.
The negotiations also led to an increase in the number of designated carriers and the addition of new points in China. Kazakh airlines have received the right to operate an unlimited number of flights to points on Hainan Island, including the cities of Sanya, Haikou and Qionghai.
The result of the negotiations was the establishment of the "open skies" regime, under which the designated carriers of Kazakhstan and China received the right to operate up to 42 flights a week using the fifth degree of "freedom of the air". This means that Kazakh airlines will be able not only to fly to China, but also to operate flights from China to third countries, which significantly expands their capabilities.
It is worth noting that the Republic of Kazakhstan has become one of the few countries in the world, along with the United States and a number of European countries, whose air carriers have received the right to operate flights to China using the fifth degree of "freedom of the air". This emphasizes the strategic importance of relations between Kazakhstan and China and opens up new prospects for the development of cooperation in the field of civil aviation.