China's civil aviation sector should deepen reform, enhance management and improve services with priority given to sustained security, Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang said on Tuesday at the national civil aviation work conference.

Zhang said there have been no accidents for 49 consecutive months in the sector despite growing passenger and cargo transport volume.

According to Civil Aviation Administration, in 2008 the sector reported passenger transport volume of 192 million people, up 3.3 percent from 2007. Cargo and mail transport volume was 4.03 million tonnes, up 0.2 percent.

Transport security has always been the top concern of the civil aviation sector, Zhang stressed.

He noted endeavors should be exerted to ensure the accountability system for security is working and supervision of the sector would also be intensified.

(Xinhua News Agency January 7, 2009)