Increase in flights between US and China

Passenger and cargo flights between the US and China will increase under a deal signed by transportation secretary Mary Peters and Chinese minister of civil aviation Yang Yuanyuan.

The agreement will more than double commercial passenger departures by 2012 and allow unlimited cargo flights between the two countries, according to the US Transportation Department.

The department plans to award a new route to a US carrier later this year. It is currently accepting proposals from airlines for new services in 2008 and 2009.