Photo: Xinhua

Air France-KLM Group is expected to add a new flight between Paris and Beijing via Tianjin, as China and France strengthen cooperation to promote the increase of capacity entitlements for faster business resumption.

The Chinese and French sides "welcome the resumption of two weekly Air France flights between Paris and Shanghai and look forward to the resumption of an additional flight between Paris and Beijing via Tianjin," read a China-France Joint Fact Sheet on the 7th High Level Economic and Financial Dialogue released on Monday.

The loosening of restrictions came as the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and its French counterpart the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reached an agreement allowing both French and Chinese airlines companies to operate three flights a week between France and China.

The fact sheet, posted on China's Ministry of Finance website, said that the two countries also welcome weekly flights operated by Air China, China Eastern and China Southern between Paris and Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, the capital of South China's Guangdong Province.

"When the conditions are appropriate, both sides will promote a further increase of capacity entitlements between France and China, subject to an arrangement between the civil aviation authorities," it continued.

Since the outbreak of coronavirus in February, Air France flights to and from China were suspended. 

China imposed its "Five One" aviation policy in March to restrict international travel for global pandemic containment. Under the policy, only one flight could be operated by one airline from each country to China, and only three Chinese airlines had been flying the China-France route with a total of three flights per week.

In May, Air France obtained CAAC approval to resume its Paris-Shanghai flight in June.

However, the DGCA announced on July 12 that Chinese airlines would be limited to one weekly passenger flight to France based on the "equality principle."

A spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in France said on July 14 that, given the two countries' friendly relationship and earnest need for personnel exchanges, China not only made an exception to allow Air France to fly three weekly flights to China but also made efforts to determine cities for its second and third flights to land in.

When Air France suspended flights between the two countries, Chinese airlines made huge sacrifices to maintain flights despite COVID-19 risks and operating losses, said the embassy spokesperson.

The 7th High Level Economic and Financial Dialogue also confirmed that both sides strongly value their strategic partnership in the aeronautical field and have agreed to strengthen it. "Both sides strongly value the active discussions between Airbus and Chinese air carriers regarding the deliveries of Airbus aircraft in 2020 and onwards."

Global Times