The state is in discussions with a Chinese air carrier that would allow charter flights from Shanghai to Hawaii while it continues to work out details of an agreement to begin direct flights between Beijing and Honolulu, Gov. Linda Lingle said.

If details can be worked out with the charter carrier and the U.S. embassy in Shanghai, the number of Chinese visitors to Hawaii could increase about 25,000 by year’s end, Lingle said. Hawaii typically gets about 50,000 Chinese visitors annually.

“They made a commitment that within one week of us returning we would have an answer on whether or not this was going to be possible on their end,” Lingle said today at a news conference in her office.