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A campaign group has called for more air services to link mainland China with Brisbane on the east coast of Australia.

Six interested parties, including the Brisbane Airport Corporation, form the China Aviation Action Group, which has called for more flights to enable travellers to transfer directly from the Asian country to Brisbane.

Jim Carden of the airport corporation said that there were some 150,000 Chinese visitors to Queensland last year and the market is growing at an annual rate of 20%, Australia's News.com reports.

However the lack of direct services has meant that people travelling to Brisbane have been forced to make stops in cities such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Sydney.

The campaign for more direct flights comes as airline China Eastern prepares to launch a trial of services between Brisbane and the city of Shanghai.

'There is a huge opportunity for both Australian and Chinese airlines to service the Queensland market,' Mr Carden said.

'With the opportunities that have arisen with the resources boom, the sustained growth in the Chinese economy, the attractiveness of Australia as a destination and the Beijing Olympics, we are convinced that the benefits will begin to flow for airlines willing to take on direct services to Brisbane.'

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