The world’s top conference for the global air transport sector will be held in Shanghai next year and will focus on the COVID-19 pandemic and carbon neutrality in the aviation industry.

The 78th Annual General Meeting of the International Air Transport Association and World Air Transport Summit, dubbed the General Assembly of the world’s aviation sector, will be held in Shanghai between June 19 and 21.

Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines will host the conference, the third time it has been held in China, IATA announced on its official website. The meeting was held in Beijing in 2012 and in Shanghai in 2002.

Aviation industry leaders as well as top officials of global airlines and institutions will gather along the Huangpu River to discuss exchanges, cooperation and the sustainable development of the industry.

“China is a dynamic aviation market, with its domestic travel among the fastest to recover from the damage brought by COVID-19,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general.

Liu Shaoyong, chairman of China Eastern Airlines Holding, said the carrier is looking forward to showcasing the vibrant city and warm Chinese hospitality.

“In the 20 years since the AGM was last held in Shanghai, the city has completely changed,” Liu said. The meeting next year will focus on how to handle the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on global aviation and sustainable development topics like carbon peaks and neutrality, according to the airline.

Also, Chinese has been newly listed as one of the official languages of IATA’s constitution, along with English, French, Spanish and Arabic.