DUSHANBE, November 9, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Asia’s largest airline, China Southern Airlines Company Limited, gave presentation in the Tajik capital Thursday (November 8) afternoon.

More than 50 persons, including representatives of China Southern Airlines, Chinese diplomatic mission and Chinese large companies operating in Tajikistan as well as senior representatives of Tajikistan’s civilian aviation administration, participated in the presentation ceremony that took place at Hyatt Regency Dushanbe Hotel.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Tajikistan Fan Xianrong noted that China Southern Airline made its contribution to expansion of cooperation of China with other countries, including Tajikistan.  “This air carrier now operates flights to all countries of Central Asia,” Ambassador Fan said.

Firouz Eshonqulov, Head of the Main Civilian Administration at the Ministry of Transport of Tajikistan, noted that increase in the number of fights and expansion of geography of flights would promote further expansion of cooperation between the two nations.

He stressed that senior representatives of the civilian aviation administrations of the two countries met in Urumqi, China two months ago to discuss increase in the number of flights and the expansion of the flight geography.  “The Tajik side, in particular, offered to launch a new air route – from Dushanbe via Murgab (Gorno Badakhshan) to Kashqar and further to Beijing and Gunagzhou,” said Eshonqulov.  “The sides are currently discussing technical issues.”

According to him, the sides also reached an agreement that Chinese specialists would help raise qualification of Tajik air traffic controllers.

Meanwhile, Chin Min, Head of the Marketing Department, China Southern Airlines noted that their company planned to expand its presence in Tajikistan.  “Beginning on November 24, our company will start another flight on the air route from Dushanbe to Urumqi,” he added.

China Southern Airlines Company Limited is an airline headquartered in Baiyun District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People''s Republic of China.  It is the world''s sixth-largest airline measured by passengers carried, and Asia''s largest airline in terms of both fleet size and passengers carried. It is also the fourth-largest airline in the world in domestic passenger traffic and the sixth-largest in scheduled domestic passenger-kilometers flown.  From its main hubs at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport, the airline flies to 121 destinations using a fleet of 422 aircraft.

China Southern Airlines was established on 1 July 1988 following the restructuring of the Civil Aviation Administration of China.  Since then, the airline acquired and merged with a number of domestic airlines, becoming one of China''s "Big Three" airlines (alongside Air China and China Eastern Airlines).  China Southern Airlines is a member of SkyTeam.