Chinese civil aviation regulators have submitted a series of draft amendments to the country’s civil aviation law ahead of a meeting of top lawmakers.
The amendments are, among other things, aimed at “safeguarding the country’s airspace sovereignty and civil aviation rights”, says the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) in a statement. They will be considered at the meeting of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress.
Key revisions include strengthening aviation security measures, promoting the development of general aviation and “low-altitude economic activities”.
On general aviation, the CAAC proposes allowing general aviation operators to engage in “some scheduled passenger business”, as well as making provisions to coordinate between general aviation and commercial airports.
The amendments also propose a “rational” airspace development for the “low-altitude economy”, a reference to the advanced air mobility (AAM) sector in Mainland China.
Chinese media reports – citing government forecasts – indicate that the AAM sector is expected to see rapid growth in the near-term, more than doubling over the next decade.
Other aspects of the amendments include beefing up passengers’ rights to address travel delays and cancellations, as well as tightening aviation security laws.
If passed, the latest round of amendments will be the seventh time tweaks have been made to the Civil Aviation Law since its implementation in 1996.
