Comment on "Low-altitude airspace to open up from 2013" (China Daily, Aug 24)

China has been urbanizing at an extremely fast pace and deserves unconditional praise for that. But its aviation industry, though developing, has been taking little steps.

The aviation industry has developed on a revolutionary scale wherever and whenever it was allowed to develop freely.

China understands that a free environment for the development of the aviation industry could mean hundreds of billion of yuan in earnings for a new class of entrepreneurs, a huge tax revenue, millions of new job opportunities and world-class services for passengers, both domestic and foreign. So why does it issue statements like "a series of reforms will be carried out in the coming five to 10 years to create an independent airspace market with some government guidance"?

Five to 10 years is a long time in aviation terms. It's the time the United States took to start from zero to make a man land on the Moon. The reform in the Chinese aviation industry should be completed in five to 10 months rather than five to 10 years.

China built the longest bridge in the world in Qingdao in four years. So I'm sure it can take measures to allow the general aviation industry to take off in a much shorter time if it decides to do so.

Cesare, on China Daily website

Readers' comments are welcome. Please send your e-mail to opinion@chinadaily.com.cn or letters@chinadaily.com.cn or to the individual columnists. China Daily reserves the right to edit all letters. Thank you.

(China Daily 09/04/2012 page9)