The two sides have done quite a lot of preliminary work over the past two years, including proposals for Terminal 2 transfer procedures and traffic analysis regarding Air China in Beijing, said Wang Jianzhuang.

ADPM has brought 9.99 percent of BCIA stakes to become a strategic investor in the Chinese company and has pledged to provide at least five years of consultancy services.

"We are helping BCIA to draw up a master plan for the whole airport for the next 20 to 30 years. Once approved by the Chinese government, implementation of the master plan in stages will be the main focus for future cooperation, especially the renovation of Terminal 1 and evaluation of Terminal 2's capacity," said Patrice Hardel, chief representative and project director of ADPM in China.

Wang said that BCIA will adopt French experts' suggestions, including increasing the number of duty-free shops and improving services, in order to gain more non-aeronautical revenues.

BCIA will be built as a complex hub airport and extend its role as a major Asian gateway, he added.

BCIA has sent 15 top-level managers to Paris for a training seminar, and ADPM has sent experts to Beijing to provide training in quality management and hub airport strategy.

Hardel said that further cooperation will be carried out in fields such as information technology, and quality and financial management.

(People's Daily April 2, 2002)