Muslims from China's only Hui ethnic autonomous region began their Mecca pilgrimage on Monday, utilizing the first direct charter flights from Yinchuan, capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, to Mecca.

At 7:45 p.m. on Monday, the first charter flight, with 282 pilgrims on board, took off from Yinchuan airport for a flight of about eight hours to Medina, Saudi Arabia.

The group was the first among the 1,970 Muslims who will take these flights from Yinchuan to Mecca for the annual pilgrimage. The flights, operated by China Eastern, will continue to Nov. 25.

Yinchuan this year became the fifth departure port for non-stop charter flights to Saudi Arabia. The other four are Beijing, Urumqi, Lanzhou and Kunming.

Previously, Muslims in Ningxia had to travel to neighboring Gansu and Xinjiang for flights to Saudi Arabia.

Yang Zhibo, vice chairman of the Islamic Association of China (IAC), said Ningxia has more than 2 million Muslims, and it is important and necessary to facilitate their pilgrimage.

"Direct flights substantially reduce the time and costs for pilgrims," said Hei Fuli, vice chairman of the Islamic Association of Ningxia.

Twenty years ago, when Beijing was the only departure port, pilgrims had to wait a week before flying onward to Medina, Hei said.

China has more than 20 million Muslims, mainly living in Xinjiang, Qinghai, Ganshu, Ningxia, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia and Henan.

According to the IAC, a record 10,700 Chinese Muslims are expected to make the pilgrimage this year. They will return by charter flights from Jan. 5-24, 2008. The pilgrimage rites will take place from Dec. 18-22.

(Xinhua News Agency November 20, 2007)