Wednesday, March 16 2005 16:00 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia Airlines will increase flights to India and China to enhance bilateral trade with the two countries.

The airlines would focus on increasing flights to both India and China in the next two to three years, Malaysia Airlines (MAS) senior general manager of sales, marketing and distribution Datuk Rashid Khan said.

"This is especially true for India which allows MAS to operate from secondary airports. We will certainly be looking into providing this connectivity, once we have obtained additional aircraft," he was quoted as saying in the daily 'Star'.

The national carrier would introduce flights to more destinations in China besides the eight places it currently flies to, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said.

"We now fly to Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen, Chengdu, Kunming and now Xi'an. In the immediate future, MAS is looking at Shenyang and Chongqin in northeast China.

"I am sure this will further strengthen the position of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport as a regional travel hub and also contribute towards the Government's vision for Malaysia to partner with and complement China, which is the new economic powerhouse," he told the daily before embarking on MAS' inaugural flight to Xi'an at Kuala Lampur yesterday (Mar 15, 2005).

By strategically expanding its connectivity in China, Chan said that the national carrier could play a key role in enhancing trade and investment between the two countries.