Direct Houston-Beijing flight to boost exchanges

A new non-stop flight between the fourth largest U.S. city of Houston and China's capital Beijing will further boost economic, cultural and tourism exchanges and cooperation between the two countries, officials from both sides said here Tuesday.

At a join press conference, Air China, China's exclusive national flag carrier, announced that it expects to begin operating non-stop flights between Houston and Beijing on July 11, pending approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Starting with four flights a week, Air China is scheduled to operate the round-trip route on a new generation of Boeing 777-300ER.

The flight will be the first direct one between Beijing and Houston, which will also become Air China's fifth destination in North America after Los Angeles, New York JFK, San Francisco and Vancouver.

Officials from both sides lauded the new flight, expressing hope for expanded exchanges and cooperation between the United States and China following the launch of the flight.

"With its vibrant business communities and fast-growing diverse population, Houston is a perfect choice for an additional gateway for Air China," said Chi Zhihang, Air China's vice president and general manager for North America.

"It offers the most convenient connections to China and beyond for our passengers from Texas and other neighboring states," he added.

Houston Mayor Annise Parker called the flight a "gift" to the U.S. city, which enjoys strong relations with China.

"This new direct route to China will ensure our success in growing the Texas regional economy and strengthen the global ties to our trade partners in China," the mayor said.

"With the addition of this new direct link by Air China, we can only envision growth for trade and business between our two great markets," Parker said.

Chinese Consul General in Houston Xu Erwen also applauded Air China's new flight to Houston, a city which she said "has always played an important role in China-U.S. relations."