▁the ▁two ▁countries . ▁ ▁Although ▁the ▁stated ▁goal ▁of ▁both ▁countries ▁is ▁for ▁an ▁open ▁sk ies ▁agreement , ▁the ▁process ▁of ▁reaching ▁such ▁an ▁agreement ▁has ▁taken ▁several ▁years ▁and ▁has ▁not ▁been ▁completed . ▁Li u ▁We imin , ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁A viation ▁La ws ▁Research ▁Centre ▁with ▁the ▁Civil ▁A viation ▁Management ▁Institute ▁of ▁China , ▁has ▁said ▁" Under ▁the ▁current ▁market ▁situation , ▁local ▁carri ers ▁have ▁a ▁hard ▁time ▁compet ing ▁against ▁global ▁gi ants ▁such ▁as ▁Cont inental . ▁That ▁is ▁why ▁US ▁air lines ▁are ▁enthus i astic ▁to ▁fly ▁to ▁China , ▁while ▁Chinese ▁carri ers ▁are ▁hes it ating ▁to ▁open ▁more ▁fl ights . ▁For ▁local ▁air lines , ▁more ▁fl ights ▁may ▁mean ▁more ▁losses ▁if ▁they ▁cannot ▁get ▁enough ▁passengers ." ▁There ▁have ▁been ▁reports ▁that ▁the ▁load ▁factors ▁( percent age ▁of ▁seats ▁sold ) ▁in ▁business ▁and ▁first ▁class ▁are ▁lower ▁on ▁Chinese ▁carri ers ▁than ▁on ▁US ▁carri ers . ▁ ▁Not ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁route ▁authority ▁of ▁the ▁Chinese ▁air lines ▁is ▁used . ▁ ▁First ▁non - stop ▁service ▁The ▁first ▁scheduled ▁non - stop ▁flight ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁countries ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁between ▁Detroit ▁and ▁Be ij ing , ▁and ▁was ▁operated ▁by ▁North west ▁Airlines ▁three ▁times ▁a ▁week . ▁North west ▁Airlines ▁began ▁Detroit - Sh ang hai ▁non - stop ▁fl ights ▁twice ▁a ▁week ▁starting ▁April ▁ 6