A giant Boeing 747-400F cargo plane bought by China Southern Airlines arrived in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, on Wednesday.

The US$120 million aircraft is ranked as the world's biggest and most advanced cargo plane with a maximum flying weightof 366,900 kilograms and maximum distance of 8,232 kilometers. The 225 Boeing 747-400Fs around the world carry half of the world's air cargoes.

Sources with the Guangzhou-based airline say that the purchase aims to strengthen its competitiveness with a brand-new cargo transport strategy.

Another aircraft of the same model ordered by the airline will arrive here in September.

China Southern Airlines has developed into one of the country'sleading air transport carriers. It has been ranked as the biggest passenger carrier in the country for over two decades.

( People's Daily June 19, 2002 )