Hong Kong and China announced recently that they will increase the number of passenger and cargo flights between the two countries, although Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways will have to wait longer than it hoped to fly the coveted route to Shanghai.

The development adds to recent agreements by China to open its fast-growing aviation market to more competition, and follows similar pacts with the United States, Australia and Singapore.

Under the new air services deal, the number of passenger flights between Hong Kong and mainland China will be increased by 30 percent to 1,600 a week and the number of all-cargo flights will double to 84, a statement by the Hong Kong government said.

In July, China and the United States signed a deal to increase by more than fourfold the number of commercial and cargo flights between the two countries, starting in August.