U.S., China Near Open Skies Pact

The U.S. Department of Transportation today confirmed Transportation Secretary Mary Peters' comments that the United States is seeking to conclude a new Open Skies agreement with China by May.

During an event to launch a new UPS cargo hub in China, Peters in a prepared statement lauded China's increasing openness to the U.S. transportation industry and praised China's last major accord with the U.S., signed in 2004.

"Today's announcement is evidence of the tremendous advances we have made since 2004 in opening and expanding air services between our two great nations, and I hope this is just the first of many such celebrations," Peters said, noting an increasing appetite among U.S. citizens for travel to China. Peters said the number of passengers in 2006 more than doubled the 2003 level.