As of 12 June 2018, Hainan Airlines will commence operatingnon-stop services between the Chinese capital Beijing and our capital city Dublin. This first ever direct route to mainland China and the first Irish destination in Hainan Airlines’ network. This is a major achievement that will prove transformational to the bilateral relationship between China and Ireland.

海南航空将于2018年6月12日开通北京直飞爱尔兰首都都柏林的航线。这是都柏林到中国大陆的第一条直航线路，也是爱尔兰城市第一次被纳入海航网络。这是一个巨大的成就，对于中国和爱尔兰双边关系具有变革意义。 

副总理兼外交与贸易部长 西蒙·科夫尼先生与

海南航空首席执行官包启发先生

The growing numbers of tourists, students, businesspeople and other travellers living and spending time in these respective markets will benefit from shorter flight times and greater connectivity. Separately, for those travelling from Ireland, Hainan’s extensive route network will providegreater access throughout China and the wider Asia-Pacific region. Those departing from Beijing can enjoy travel throughout the island and the Great Britain with a single visa using the British-Irish visa scheme. Not to mention, Dublin provides a great doorstep to the rest of Europe.

缩短的飞行时间和由此带来联通性的提高会让所有往来于这两地的人受益，其中包括日益增长的游客、学生、商人数量等。此外，海航密集的航线网络能让从都柏林飞来北京的旅客更加方便地前往中国甚至亚太地区的各个角落。而从北京飞往都柏林的游客也能由此畅游爱尔兰岛，或通过英国-爱尔兰单一签证计划前往大不列颠，更别提从都柏林去欧洲的其他地方有多方便了。 

From a trade prospective, the Irish-Chinese business community will benefit from the greater connectivity enhancing opportunities for increased bilateral trade in goods and services, estimated to have exceeded 15 billion last year. For example, exports of Irish food to this key market will be greatly aided by the launch of this route as well as the new Cathay Pacific Hong Kong-Dublin direct flights which also commence this summer.

从贸易的角度上来说，中爱两国联通性提高也会让中爱的商业活动受益，促进两地产品与服务的双边贸易提升，去年的双边贸易额预计已超过150亿欧元。北京-都柏林直线航班的开通，加上国泰航空香港-都柏林的直线航班也将在今年夏天开通，一定会大大促进爱尔兰食品到中国的出口。 

Commercial Aviation and the Irish state are as old as each other. As Ireland is an island nation on the western edge of Europe aviation plays a key role in the nation’s relationship with the rest of the world.

自独立起，爱尔兰就有商业航空业。由于爱尔兰是位于欧洲西部边缘的岛屿国家，航空业在爱尔兰与世界其他国家的关系上扮演了重要的角色。 

1

Alcock and Brown made the first non-stop transatlantic flight in June 1919 from North America to Galway in Ireland.

 (picture takeoff above). 

1919年6月，阿尔科克和布朗（Alcock and Brown）驾驶一架飞机从北美出发，最后降落在爱尔兰的戈尔韦（Galway），他们成为航空史上首次架飞机跨越大西洋的飞行家。 

2

爱尔兰是北美开往欧洲航线的首个枢纽

In 1930s, Foynes (Co. Limerick) became the European terminus for all transatlantic seaplane flights. It is also at that time that the famous Irish coffee recipe was created. On a cold evening, the airport chef Joe Sheridan added whiskey and cream to coffee intended to warm up American tourists landing after the long journey.

上世纪30年代，福因斯（Foynes, 位于利默里克郡Limerick）成为所有跨越大西洋水上飞机行程航班的欧洲机场所在地，爱尔兰咖啡也正是在那个时代诞生。在一个寒冷的夜晚，机场厨师乔·谢里丹（Joe Sheridan）把威士忌和奶油加到咖啡里，试图让长途飞行后的美国旅客能温暖起来，自此就有了享誉世界的爱尔兰咖啡。 

3