China's civil aviation industry achieved a clean sheet in safety last year and notched up 3.7 million hours of flight, both cargo and passenger, a 15.4 percent year-on-year increase.

In 2007, 1.76 million flights were registered, a 12.7 percent year-on-year increase, the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) said in a circular released on its website on Monday.

The total amount of passengers handled by the aviation sector around the country in 2007 might hit 385 million, a 16 percent increase over a year ago, according to the CAAC.

With more Chinese opting for air travel rather than rail, aviation safety has drawn more attention than ever before.

In November 2004, a China Eastern plane crashed shortly after take-off, killing all 55 passengers and crew members. Since then, no severe accident had occurred.

(Xinhua News Agency January 15, 2008)