On October 11, 2002 (September 6, 2002, the six major civil aviation group companies were announced to be established. On October 11, 2002, the six major civil aviation group companies were officially announced for establishment, which marked a substantial step forward in civil aviation reform and reorganization. These six major groups are the three major air transport groups: China Aviation Group Corporation, China Eastern Airlines Group Corporation, and China Southern Airlines Group Corporation, and the three major aviation service guarantee groups: China Civil Aviation Information Group Corporation, China Aviation Fuel Group Corporation, and China Aviation Equipment Import and Export Group Corporation. The six major civil aviation group companies were approved by the State Council and established on the basis of nine airlines and four service guarantee enterprises directly under the Civil Aviation Administration of China. After the new group was established, it was decoupled from the Civil Aviation Administration of China. As the directly affiliated agency of the State Council in charge of civil aviation affairs across the country, the Civil Aviation Administration will undertake functions in safety management, market management, air traffic management, macro-control and external relations, and will no longer serve as the owner of state-owned assets of the six major group companies. China Aviation Group Corporation is established with China International Airlines as the main body and jointly with China Aviation Corporation and China Southwest Airlines. It has total assets of 57.3 billion yuan, transports 119 aircraft, and operates 307 routes. China Eastern Airlines Group Corporation was established with China Eastern Airlines Group Corporation as the main body, merged with China Northwest Airlines, and joined forces with Yunnan Airlines. It has total assets of 47.3 billion yuan, transported 142 aircraft, and operated 386 routes. China Southern Airlines Group Company is established with China Southern Airlines (Group) Company as the main body and jointly with China Northern Airlines and Xinjiang Airlines. It has total assets of 50.1 billion yuan, transports 180 aircraft, and operates 666 routes. The total assets of China Civil Aviation Information Group Corporation are 4.7 billion yuan, the total assets of China Aviation Fuel Group Corporation are 15.2 billion yuan, and the total assets of China Aviation Equipment Import and Export Corporation are 1.9 billion yuan.