Ayesha Saba

Pakistan and China have agreed to encourage airlines from both countries to launch new direct flight routes and expand the number of existing flights, in a move aimed at boosting connectivity, trade, and people-to-people exchanges.

The decision is part of the China-Pakistan Action Plan (2025–2029), signed during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent visit to Beijing. The plan brief available with Wealth Pakistan identifies civil aviation as a key area of cooperation under the broader framework of people-to-people exchanges.

The document states that the two sides will strengthen civil aviation cooperation by supporting airlines in launching new routes and increasing frequencies of current ones. The initiative is designed to facilitate easier travel for business communities, students, tourists, and professionals between the two countries.

The civil aviation cooperation is also interconnected with other areas of the action plan, such as cultural exchanges, education collaboration, tourism development, and trade facilitation. Enhanced air connectivity is expected to complement ongoing work on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and regional integration efforts.

Officials from both sides emphasized that the expansion of direct flights would deepen people-to-people connectivity, reduce travel time, and create greater opportunities for bilateral engagement at multiple levels.

Credit: INP-WealthPk