Canberra Airport takes step towards direct flights to Nanjing, China
New partnership with Eastern Airports Group supports future direct flight opportunities, trade, tourism and cultural exchange between Canberra and China.
Canberra Airport and Eastern Airports Group have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that could pave the way for future direct flights between Canberra and Nanjing, strengthening tourism, trade, education and cultural links between Australia’s capital and China’s Jiangsu Province.
The MOU provides a practical framework for exploring future aviation links, including potential direct flights between Canberra and Nanjing, while supporting tourism, education, research, trade and cultural exchange between Canberra and Jiangsu Province.
Nanjing Lukou International Airport is the core airport in Eastern Airports Group’s network and an important gateway to Jiangsu Province and the Yangtze River Delta region.
Canberra Airport Chief Executive Officer Stephen Byron said the MOU created a practical pathway to progress future aviation and economic links.
“This MOU gives us a practical way to work together, share knowledge and explore future collaboration across aviation, tourism, trade, education and cultural exchange,” Mr Byron said.
“For us, international connections are about more than flights. They open Canberra to the world and bring the world closer to Canberra.”
“There is much we can learn from each other, particularly across airport operations, passenger experience, commercial development, sustainability and future growth,” Mr Byron said.
Eastern Airports Group Vice-President Fan Hao said the partnership reflected a shared commitment to practical aviation cooperation.
“The signing of this Sister Airport Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding is an important achievement of both sides working from a shared vision of development and deepening practical cooperation,” Mr Fan said.
“We look forward to working together on direct flight opportunities, route network links and tourism market promotion, while enhancing service quality and operational efficiency for passengers from both places,” Mr Fan said.
Li Fanjie, Chargé d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Australia, said the partnership would help bring Australian and Chinese people closer together.
“Airports are not just places for planes to take off and land. They are gateways for people from different cultures to meet, discover, and forge bonds. In this sense, airports can play a meaningful role in bringing the people of China and Australia closer together and deepening our friendship,” Mr Li said.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the agreement would support stronger connections between Canberra and China.
“This agreement helps lay the groundwork for direct flights between Canberra and Nanjing, while bringing our cities closer together.”
“Stronger aviation links create economic benefits for tourism, education, research, trade and cultural exchange, and deepen people-to-people links between Canberra and Nanjing.”
“Most importantly, this agreement is a vote of confidence in Canberra as a place to visit, to study, to work, to invest, and to do business,” Mr Barr said.