Chinese and Brazilian Civil Aviation Authorities Hold Talks in Beijing to Discuss Expanding Direct Flight Frequencies

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On August 25, Song Zhiyong, Director of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), met with Tomé Franca, Minister of Ports and Airports of Brazil, in Beijing. The two sides exchanged in-depth views on enhancing China-Brazil aviation connectivity, strengthening pilot training, application of new civil aviation technologies, and cooperation in airport construction and operation. During the meeting, Minister Franca proposed exploring the possibility of further increasing flight frequencies between the two countries.

Currently, no commercial non-stop passenger flights operate between China and Brazil. In terms of scheduled routes, only Air China operates the Beijing–Madrid–São Paulo (CA897/898) route with a stopover, using Boeing 787-9 wide-body aircraft, with a total travel time of approximately 24 to 25 hours. Since July 8, 2026, this route has been increased from 3 to 4 weekly flights. In addition, Air China's codeshare cooperation with Latam Airlines covers eight domestic routes within Brazil.

Minister Franca's visit to China lasts one week (August 24–29), organized with the assistance of the Brazilian Embassy in China and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil). In addition to Beijing, he will also travel to Shanghai for related activities. This meeting was part of his itinerary in China, with the delegation aiming to present concession projects for Brazilian ports, waterways, and airport infrastructure to Chinese investors.

During the talks, the Brazilian side also presented the country's production potential for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Notably, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a decree on August 12, formally establishing the regulatory framework for the National Sustainable Aviation Fuel Program (ProBioQAV). Under the decree, Brazilian domestic airlines will progressively reduce greenhouse gas emissions starting from 2027, with reduction targets beginning at 1% and increasing annually to 10% by 2037. Brazil has abundant feedstock resources for biofuels, such as sugarcane and soybeans, giving it considerable SAF production potential. Chinese airlines including Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines have all set carbon reduction targets and may in the future procure SAF from Brazil to meet the CORSIA compliance requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

As early as February 2024, the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil signed a memorandum of understanding on strengthening comprehensive civil aviation cooperation, covering areas such as aviation professional training, sustainable aviation fuel, and electronic pilot licenses. In August 2024, the two sides further signed a cooperation agreement and roadmap on aircraft airworthiness certification. The 2025 China-Brazil joint statement explicitly proposed "deepening cooperation in scientific and technological innovation in the aerospace sector". This meeting can be seen as another concrete step forward under the aforementioned cooperation framework.