The Skies the Limit!: Collaborating to Open the Skies with China – Challenges and Opportunities.

The research focuses on aviation collaboration from the perspective of two regional unities – the European Union (EU) and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The aspirations of each regional entity are considered alongside the mechanism to facilitate talks and developments with respect to aviation and specifically opening up the skies, so as to create more liberalised air service agreements with China. This paper explores the strategy and framework mechanism of both the EU and ASEAN and the research questions the effectiveness of both frameworks as well as the political motivations for opening air service markets with China. The research findings identify and discuss the developments, challenges and successes within the global aviation sector in terms of partnerships and progression with China to open up the skies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]