On 5 November, Ambassador Liu Jinsong visited Canberra Airport and held in-depth exchanges of views with its Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Byron AM, on strengthening China-Australia cooperation in the aviation sector. Representatives of China Eastern Airlines and Air China responsible for their Australia and New Zealand operations also attended.

Byron said Canberra Airport is committed to expanding its international aviation network. In August this year, the airport signed a Memorandum of Understanding on sister-airport cooperation with China Eastern Airports Group. He expressed the hope that the MoU would provide an opportunity to strengthen engagement with Chinese airlines, relevant local governments and airports, and help create favorable conditions for the establishment of direct flights between Canberra and China in the future.

Ambassador Liu noted that he has come to know Canberra Airport well through his frequent travels across Australia, most of which involved flying to and from Canberra. He said air connectivity is an important foundation for promoting people-to-people exchanges and practical cooperation between China and Australia. He expressed the hope that Canberra Airport would build on its strengths and contribute to closer economic and trade ties as well as greater people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and Australia.