On May 24, CAAC Deputy Administrator Wang Zhiqing met with Enoh T. Ebong, Acting Director of U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), and Susan Mcdermott, Acting Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs, U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and Jennifer Solomon, Assistant Administrator of Policy, International Affairs, Environment and Energy, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), respectively in Beijing. Wang Zhiqing and Ebong jointly signed a grant agreement for a cooperation project, and witnessed the signing of MOU on the cooperation project of airport construction and operation management.

Wang Zhiqing expressed during the meeting that China-U.S. civil aviation cooperation over the past forty years has made significant contributions to personnel exchanges and economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, setting a good example for China-U.S. cooperation. At present, as cooperation between China and America in all sectors of the civil aviation industry keeps making progress in an in-depth manner, civil aviation authorities of the two countries should further enhance exchanges, carry out candid communications, strive for mutual benefits through cooperation, and contribute to further development of China-U.S. bilateral relationship. During the meeting, Wang Zhiqing introduced to his American counterparts about China's rapid civil aviation development in recent years and the problems and difficulties encountered therein. He welcomed his counterparts to come to China for on-site visits of actual operations at China’s large hub airports such as those in Beijing and Shanghai, and expressed the willingness to draw upon the American experience and technologies and to join hands in figuring out solutions.

The American officials applauded the positive effects of the long-term civil aviation cooperation between the two countries, and expressed that as China’s civil aviation industry rapidly develops itself into the world’s second largest air transport system, its tremendous growth both in domestic and international air transport market is of great interest to all sectors of American civil aviation industry, and America is proud of having such a great partner as China. In the meantime, they fully understand the various challenges coming along with the rapid development of China’s civil aviation industry, in particular the difficulties facing China in airspace capacity, and admire China’s determination and efforts to take up challenges. In addition, the American counterparts highly appreciate China’s civil aviation industry as it maintains the world’s highest safety records. The American government and enterprises are ready to closely communicate and pull together with China to jointly explore the future path of the civil aviation industry.

During the meeting, the two sides had a full exchange of views on issues of each other’s concern and direction for future cooperation. From May 25 to 26, Ebong, Mcdermott and Solomon will lead respectively the delegation of USTDA, DOT and FAA to participate the 2017 China Civil Aviation Development Forum held in Beijing.