The China-ASEAN Civil Aviation Cooperation and Exchange Center was officially launched at a recent forum on industry cooperation in Nanning city, China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, according to the Xinhua news agency.

Pan Yixin, executive vice chairman of the China Air Transport Association (CATA), said the center aims to strengthen the connectivity of the air route network linking China and ASEAN and promote the coordinated development of aviation-oriented cultural tourism.

It will also build platforms for China-ASEAN civil aviation cooperation, hold aviation technology and equipment exhibitions, and develop demonstration areas for civil aviation capacity building, Pan added.

The center was jointly initiated by 15 organisations, including the CATA, China Southern Airlines, and Singapore Changi Airport.

Since China and ASEAN formally established dialogue relations, the annual passenger traffic volume of China-ASEAN civil aviation has jumped from 295,000 to 26.58 million, a roughly 90-fold increase.

Source: VNA