Flight CZ5055 awaits its maiden flight linking south China's Guangzhou and Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea (PNG), at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Dec. 19, 2023. China Southern Airlines launched a direct passenger route linking south China's Guangzhou and Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea (PNG), on Wednesday. Photo:Xinhua

 
First direct regular flight from China landed at Port Moresby International Airport on Wednesday morning, marking a step forward for China and the South Pacific island country, Papua New Guinea.

Operated by China Southern Airlines, the flight CZ5055 carried over 130 passengers from Guangzhou in South China’s Guangdong Province to Port Moresby, the capital city of Papua New Guinea.

As the first South Pacific island country to join the Belt and Road Initiative, Papua New Guinea and China have developed a close relationship. China is now Papua New Guinea’s third largest trading partner, fourth largest export destination and third largest source of imports.

From this week, the round flights between Guangzhou and Port Moresby will be operated weekly by China Southern Airlines. Planes will depart from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport to Port Moresby every Wednesday and return to Guangzhou on Thursday.

The opening of the direct route to Port Moresby will greatly facilitate Chinese tourists traveling to South Pacific countries. With the flights to Papua New Guinea, Chinese travelers can travel onward to countries like the Solomon Islands and Fiji, Jiang Yiyi, a deputy head of the School of Leisure Sports and Tourism at Beijing Sport University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The route will allow China's tourism development to benefit the South Pacific region, promoting the development of local tourism and increasing employment opportunities for local residents, Jiang said.

China has pinned high hopes of cooperation with Papua New Guinea. On December 11, Mao Ning, spokesperson from China’s Foreign Ministry, said that China will continue to work with Papua New Guinea and expand cooperation in various fields under the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.