Air Canada and Air China have concluded a memorandum of understanding setting out the main principles for a comprehensive revenue sharing joint venture, providing for an enhanced partnership on routes between Canada and China which will stimulate traffic growth between the two countries. The joint venture will generate additional service and pricing benefits for consumers travelling between the two countries, as well as provide for enhanced cooperation between the two carriers in the areas of sales, marketing and airport operations. The announcement was made in Beijing during an official visit to China by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, prior to a meeting of Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) member nations. The joint venture is expected to come into effect by the end of 2015.Over the past five years the Canada-China air travel market has grown on average by almost 11%.Currently, Air China offers its customers codeshare flights operated by Air Canada between Vancouver and six Canadian cities (Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal) and Air Canada offers its customers codeshare flights operated by Air China between Beijing and six cities in China (Guangzhou, Chongqing, Chengdu, Shenyang, Wuhan and Xi’an).By contrast, Air Canada operates up to a total of 28 flights per week between Canada and China, from Toronto and Vancouver to and from Beijing and Shanghai. Air China operates up to 11 flights per week between Beijing and Vancouver.