Nashville, TN - In the early morning hours of Aug. 3, 2001, Middle Tennessee gained a global reach with air cargo services when the first China Airlines cargo aircraft arrived at the Nashville Air Cargo Link from Taipei, Taiwan, discharged approximately 33 tons of cargo, loaded approximately six tons and then left for Dallas, Texas, the next stop in the return flight to Asia.

"It is very rewarding to see this inaugural flight leave Nashville knowing that Middle Tennessee now has direct cargo service to Asia," Raul L. Regalado, Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority president and C.E.O. said. "Middle Tennessee is a very desirable region for many businesses, and this is a clear indication of that marketability."

The international service includes four weekly Taipei-Nashville-Taipei cargo flights, using Boeing 747-400 freighter aircraft, which are among the largest and most modern in the world. China Airlines operates a fleet of 55 aircraft including Boeing, McDonnell Douglas and Airbus.

This will be China Airline's tenth cargo destination in the United States, following New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Anchorage and Seattle. In addition to the United States, China Airlines serves four cities in Europe, 25 cities in Asia, three cities in Oceania and eight cities in Taiwan.

For more information on China Airlines, please visit the Web site at www.china-airlines.com. Those interested in more information on China Airlines services can request via email at laxfwci@aol.com.

The Nashville Air Cargo Link serves freight forwarders, manufacturers, distributors and air cargo carriers that ship goods into and out of Middle Tennessee. The Link complex is separate from the passenger facilities at Nashville International Airport.