China Southern Airlines has announced a major International expansion with ten new planned routes.

Slated to open in 2007 are all-new air routes to eight Asian nations, including Cambodia, India, Japan, Laos, United Arab Emirates, as well as Nigeria and Angola, with cities including: Dubai, Luanda, New Delhi, Phuket, Sendai, Sapporo, Siem Reap, Vientiane and Yangon.

The company says this new International expansion is a major step in China Southern’s construction in building Guangzhou into a major global business and logistic destination.

Si Xian Min, President, China Southern Airlines, said, "This announcement marks the first time for China Southern to announce this major International expansion originating from Baiyun International Airport and the first time China Southern will open such an extensive route expansion within a single year."

By the close of February 2007, China Southern Airlines will operate 82 International and regional services. Guangzhou and Beijing will serve as its major airport hubs, with regional airports in Urumqi in China’s northeast and Shenyang in the northwest serving as an air network covering all of Asia, with convenient connections to Africa, Australia, Europe and the United States.

With world headquarters In Guangzhou, China Southern Airlines currently operates 22 Guangzhou-outbound International and regional routes, with direct services to the major cities in North America, Europe, Australia, South East Asian areas, Japan and South Korea.

As these 10 new routes are launched, international outbound routes from Guangzhou will nearly double from the current 18 to 26. Weekly international frequencies will spike from the current 136 to 182 flights, an increase of more than 30%. Tallying its current code-share partners, China Southern Airlines will be offering routes to 173 world-wide destinations.