Foreign air express companies such as UPS and FedEx say they
will expand their business in China following the Sino-US express
agreement signed recently.
The new agreement contains a key provision that allows US cargo
carriers to establish hubs in China once specific criteria are
met.
FedEx is looking at hub expansion opportunities in Asia,
including consideration of the new Guangzhou Baiyun International
Airport, says David L Cunningham, president of FedEx Asia-Pacific
operation.
Last December, FedEx signed a framework agreement with the
Guangzhou Airport Authority to explore opportunities for potential
future hub location in the Baiyun Airport.
UPS is also considering possibilities, says its Asia-Pacific
president Ken Torok.
"This is the first aviation agreement which permits open rights
for carriers to set up air hubs in China. UPS will do so at the
first available opportunity."
He said businesses are realizing the importance of streamlining
their supply chains and the efficient movement of goods into and
out of China would be a critical area for them.
The aviation agreement, which extends through 2010, provides for
111 new weekly US-China flights for US cargo airlines.
The US Department of Transportation will be responsible for
allocating the new flights, the first of which will be available in
August.
Cunningham said if awarded additional permissions, FedEx plans
to initiate new round-the-world flights connecting China to
businesses and nations in Europe, North and South America and
Asia.
FedEx will also explore the addition of new air services to
Chinese cities along with more frequent flights to the FedEx
AsiaOne network in Subic Bay, the Philippines and the FedEx EuroOne
network based in Paris, he said.
Since entering the market in 1984, FedEx has expanded its
guaranteed service to cover more than 220 cities across China with
plans to add 100 additional cities over the next few years.
FedEx has 11 flights per week through three major gateways:
Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.
Torok said the new US-China agreement permits UPS to connect
China and Japan with direct air service, one of the largest and
fastest growing trade lanes in the world.
"Our business is growing tremendously in China, and customers
are asking us to do even more for them in synchronizing their
businesses," Torok said.
UPS, which began direct air service to China in 2001, has
experienced double digit growth in the US-China market in each of
the last three years and its current flights between China and the
United States are operating at near capacity.
FedEx's Chinese volumes also grew by 55 per cent in the third
fiscal quarter.
Both companies believed the aviation agreement will not only
benefit the carriers.
FedEx said approximately US$60 billion worth of goods will leave
China by air this year and another US$61 billion worth of goods
will enter the country by air to support the manufacturing sector
and China's vibrant and growing consumer base.
This number is expected to grow substantially thanks to these
new air rights. US exports to China have grown by 75 per cent over
the last three years making the United States second only to Japan
as China's top trading partner, FedEx said.
According to a recent US-China Business Council study, increased
access for air express providers like FedEx would allow businesses
to increase investments in China by nearly 5 per cent, creating
800,000 new jobs and increasing US exports by US$8 billion to US$12
billion over the next four years.
"This landmark agreement, which recognizes the importance of
open rights, especially for air express carriers, will have impact
not only between the US and China, but throughout the world. It
will accelerate the flow of goods into and out of China, providing
substantial benefits to workers, businesses and consumers of this
fast growing region," said Jorok.
(China Daily July 6, 2004)