Air China Ltd, the world's largest carrier by market value, said profit rose 30 percent last year, helped by increasing business travel and a stronger yuan.

Net income climbed to 3.88 billion yuan (US$550 million), or 0.3267 yuan per share, from 2.98 billion yuan, or 0.2903 yuan a year earlier, the carrier said yesterday, citing domestic accounting standards. Sales rose 15 percent to 49.7 billion yuan.

(Shanghai Daily March 18, 2008)