The General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC)
signed an international pact in Xi'an on Monday, pledging to
prevent the spread of communicable diseases via air travel.
Yang Guoqing, deputy head of CAAC, signed the "Cooperative
Arrangement for Preventing the Spread of Communicable Diseases
through Air Travel" (CAPSCA) with Roberto Kobeh Gonzalez, president
of the Council of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO),
at the 44th Conference of Directors General of Civil Aviation Asia
and Pacific Region in the northwestern Chinese city of Xi'an.
Yang said he hoped to ensure passengers clean and safe air
travel through the agreement and CAAC's efforts.
CAAC has selected two experienced aeronautical medical experts
to join an expert panel of ICAO that will make evaluations about
the precautionary measures on diseases taken by the airports in the
Asia-Pacific region, including the Beijing Capital International
Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Guangzhou Baiyun
International Airport, Yang said.
The CAPSCA project was jointly initiated by the ICAO, the World
Health Organization (WHO), the International Air Transportation
Association (IATA) and the Airports Council International (ACI)
with the aim of reducing the risk of spreading avian influenza and
similar communicable diseases by air travel.
(Xinhua News Agency October 23, 2007)