Shanghai Party Secretary Han Zheng met Richard Anderson, chief executive officer of Delta Air Lines, yesterday.

Han said that 2015 is the last year of the city’s 12th Five-Year Plan and the 13th Five-Year Plan will start next year. Shanghai is on course to meet its goal of becoming an international economic, financial, trade and shipping center by 2020.

He said the aviation industry plays an important role in Shanghai’s development. The city’s Pudong and Hongqiao airports will be expanded to meet the ever growing demand for passenger and cargo transport.

The former Shanghai mayor said the city government needs to coordinate efforts of all sides in airport construction.

Han said he was pleased to see China Eastern Airlines and Delta Air Lines becoming partners through equity investment and hoped they will develop well in China’s aviation market and contribute to Shanghai’s development as an international shipping center.

Anderson said Shanghai is ideally located and has everything needed to become one of Asia’s biggest commercial centers.

Delta Air Lines and China Eastern Airlines’ equity deal is aimed at closer cooperation in the market and helping Shanghai to become a gateway to Asia, he said, adding that Shanghai’s development vision fits with Delta’s business strategy.