Representatives of Vietnamese and Chinese companies at a signing ceremony. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) on cooperation with Chinese partners, with a total value of nearly US$450 million, within the framework of National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ’s official visit to China from April 7-12.

Vietnam Airlines and Saigontourist, one of Việt Nam’s leading travel agents, inked an MoU on cooperation in the fields of aviation and tourism with China’s Shanghai Boxi, and Beijing Cosmos Travel International Co., Ltd.

Under this document, they will cooperate in providing charter flight services, and coordinate in promoting and organising tourism events.

The carrier also signed another with Shanghai Wanjun Aviation Service Co., Ltd. in the field of freight transportation, which includes agreements on coordination in freight transportation, logistics operations, service promotion and search for investment opportunities related to freight transportation infrastructure.

On April 10, within the framework of a policy and law forum to promote investment and trade cooperation between Việt Nam and China held in Shanghai, Vietnam Airlines announced its plan to put its wide-body Boeing 787 into use on routes between the two countries.

Specifically, from June, the airline will operate wide-body aircraft on routes between Hà Nội and China’s Shanghai and Beijing, in addition to Airbus A321 aircraft. From July, it will run wide-body aircraft for all flights between HCM City and Shanghai.

Over the past 30 years, Vietnam Airlines has expanded its flight network to many locations across China. Currently, the airline is operating 33 return flights per week on routes connecting Hà Nội, HCM City and Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai. It has conducted 100,000 flights, transporting nearly 12 million passengers and 166,000 tonnes of goods. —VNS