英中同意增加兩國通航航班
Airlines will have the right to operate more than twice as many weekly services as at present between the UK and China under changes that the UK government said were part of building a “confident, global Britain after Brexit”.
航空公司將有權把英國和中國間的每週航班增加一倍以上，這是英國政府所稱的打造“退歐後自信而全球化的英國”的改革的一部分。
The deal, agreed yesterday between representatives of the two governments, will increase the maximum number of weekly flights between the two countries to 200, from 80 at present.
昨天在英中兩國政府代表間達成的這一協議，將把兩國間每週航班的上限從目前的80次提升至200次。
Restrictions will also be lifted on the Chinese destinations to which airlines can fly.
對航空公司可開通航班的中國目的地的限制也會被解除。
It remains unclear how many new flights the deal will lead to, since Heathrow, which most operators would prefer to serve, is full to capacity.
目前仍不清楚該協議會導致新增多少航班，因爲多數航空公司偏好的希思羅機場(Heathrow)容量已經滿了。
Chinese airlines operate 38 flights a week between the two countries while UK airlines operate 29.
中國的航空公司每週執行38次中英航班，而英國的航空公司執行29次。
The rise was made possible after the two sides agreed to modify their bilateral aviation agreement, which had previously not only limited the number of flights each week but dictated that any UK airline could serve a maximum of six separate China destinations. The new deal discards those limits, giving UK airlines the right to operate to anywhere in China.
增加航班成爲可能，是由於雙方同意修改雙邊航空協議。此前該協議不僅限制每週航班數量，還要求英國任何航空公司最多隻能開通前往六個中國目的地的航班。新協議廢除了這種限制，令英國的航空公司有權運營飛抵中國任何地點的航班。
The deal is part of an effort to emphasise the UK’s continued openness to the wider world — particularly to emerging markets beyond Europe.
該協議試圖強調，英國將繼續對更廣泛的世界保持開放——尤其是對歐洲以外的新興市場。
“The move is set to boost tourism and trade opportunities for the UK, links which will be vital as we look to build a confident, global Britain after Brexit,” the Department for Transport said.
英國交通部(Department for Transport)表示：“在我們尋求打造退歐後自信而全球化的英國之際，此舉將提振英國的旅遊業和貿易機會，這些往來對我們將至關重要。”
Chris Grayling, transport secretary, called the deal a “big moment” for the UK. “Strong connections with emerging markets like China are vital for us if we are to continue competing on the global economic stage,” he said.
英國交通大臣克里斯•格雷林(Chris Grayling)稱，該協議的達成對英國來說是個“偉大時刻”。他說：“如果我們要繼續在全球經濟舞臺上競爭，與中國這樣的新興市場保持強有力聯繫至關重要。”
The DfT said it was a commercial decision for airlines whether or not to operate additional flights. “It’s not something that government mandates,” it t said. “But we are hopeful that companies will take that decision.”
英國交通部表示，是否增加航班將是航空公司的商業決定。該部表示：“這不是政府的強制性規定。但我們對企業作出這一決定充滿希望。”
British Airways, the UK’s biggest long-haul airline by passenger numbers, did not immediately respond to questions about whether it would expand its flights to China.
英國乘客人數最多的遠程航空公司英國航空(British Airways)沒有馬上回應是否會增加英中航班的問題。
