China's aviation industry continued to grow in the first quarter, with international air services leading the way, sources with the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China said on Wednesday.

 

From January to March, passenger transport volume reached 40.9 million people, up 15.9 percent. At 858,000 tons, cargo transport volume was up 13.3 percent.

 

A total of 3.8 million people traveled on international routes, up 23.9 percent, and 37.1 million on domestic routes, up 15.1 percent.

 

A total of 238,000 tons of cargo was transported on international routes, up 25.1 percent, and 620,000 tons on domestic routes, up 9.4 percent.

 

Industry observers attributed the rapid growth in international transport to growing external trade and the extension of services.

 

(Xinhua News Agency April 26, 2007)