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The aviation industry in eastern China, which covers Shanghai Municipality and six provinces, will reach a passenger transport capacity of 59.5 million people and will be able to handle 2.4 million tons of cargo and post this year.

According to Xia Xinghua, director of the East China Civil Aviation Administration, the eastern areas, including Shanghai as well as Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Fujian provinces, have maintained a high-speed development in aviation, thanks to the geographic advantages of the Yangtze River Delta.

Currently, there are 22 aviation companies in east China, operating 119 international routes and 585 domestic routes, including those leading to Hong Kong and Macao, Xia said.

Last year, eastern China's airways altogether transported 51.6 million passengers and handled 1.5 million tons of cargo and mail,17.8 percent and 30.1 percent higher than those of the previous year respectively.

It is expected that by 2010, the passenger transport capacity of airlines in east China will reach 120 million people, while the cargo and mail handling capacity will rise to 7 million tons, said Xia.

In addition, the aviation industry in the country's eastern areas has always had a sound security record and last year was its ninth successive year for safe flights.