The first nonstop air route between Beijing and Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, has been launched as an Ukraine Boeing 767-300 aerobus landed Beijing Thursday morning.

Sergey Kamyshev, the Ukraine ambassador to China, said Thursday at a press conference that the launching of the new air route will surely enhance the relations between the two countries in varies ways and he pins great hope on Ukraine-China cooperation in aviation in future.

The air route is scheduled to fly once a week, during which a plane takes off every Wednesday from Kyiv and arrived in Beijing on Thursday.

Ukraine once had an air route linking Kyiv, Novosibirsk and Beijing, but it failed to meet the needs of the market due to aging problems of airplanes. The new air route, however, reduced three hours' flying time to nine to ten hours, will bring conveniences to passengers, according to an official with Ukraine ministry of communication.

In June, Ukraine will increase the flights passing the route and to explore new air routes connecting other cities in China, the flight sponsor, Ukraine Aerosvit Airlines' board chairman Kochubey said.

(CNTA.com May 18, 2004)