The number of passenger flights between China and New Zealand could triple under a new agreement that would open up a new Christchurch route.
A total of 42 return flights a week, split evenly between airlines from each country, can now be operated between the two nations.
The agreement comes after China Southern recently started daily flights between Auckland and Guangzhou, which pushed the previous quota of weekly flights to its limit.
Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee said today the agreement was a positive step for the New Zealand tourism industry.
The move, which would allow China Southern to schedule flights to Christchurch, follows a visit from China's fourth-ranked leader, Jia Qinglin.
