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Chinese air chief calls for joint research on aerospace safety

By Hu Yinan (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-11-09 16:46

China's air chief General Xu Qiliang today called the service's high-profile celebrations of the 60th anniversary of its founding an occasion for all air forces of the world to conduct joint research on aerospace safety.

"Opening up (like this) has created a platform and a learning opportunity for our air force," Xu said during a brief morning visit to the 5th Air Division of the Jinan Military Regional Air Command, joined by air force leaders of 32 different countries.

The celebrations of the 60th founding anniversary of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) was marked by a two-day international forum in Beijing – which attracted 350 senior air force personnel from home and abroad – and today's visit to Shandong province, which birthed both Confucius and Sun Tzu, the author of The Art of War.

While both the scheduled skydiving display in Beijing on Sunday and a training scenario in Shandong today were canceled due to unfavorable weather conditions, Xu said it was imperative that the service's global leaders gathered in China to discuss a crucial and common issue.

"Aerospace peace, safety and harmony is something all of us are extremely concerned about. These efforts (of the PLAAF) have enabled us all to research on this subject of shared interest... and facilitate the reaching of a consensus," Xu said.

"It's only when every one of us becomes forces of peace could there be more hopes of peace for all mankind of tomorrow," he said.

Chris Moran, Commander in Chief of Air Command of the UK's Royal Air Force, said it is important that "all the air forces of the world work in harmony and that efforts like this are part of that process.