"Agreements including the increase of new air routes and weekly flights from Macau to the mainland have been initialed with the General Administration of Civil Aviation", said Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Ao Man-long on Saturday after his four-day working visit to Beijing.

Mr. Ao disclosed that during his visit to Beijing, the authority had reached consensus on several issues with the General Administration of Civil Aviation, including the increase of air links from 16 to 31 and the permission for Air Macau to operate cargo flights or to operate flights with leased aircrafts to the mainland.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Communications expressed their support for Macau to develop into an international registered center for ships, considering the benefits to the expansion of the shipping business in Macau.

The conjunction of the Beijing-Zhuhai highway to Macau and the clarification of the management of Macau waters have also been discussed.

Meanwhile, opinions on urban construction and the planning of the traffic system of the Pearl River Delta have been exchanged as well.