Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif (C), Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong (L) attend the launching ceremony of Air China's new route in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan on Oct. 13, 2015. Air China announced on Tuesday that it will launch its new route to connect Chinese capital Beijing with Pakistani major cities of Islamabad and Karachi. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)
ISLAMABAD, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Air China announced on Tuesday that it will launch its new route to connect Chinese capital Beijing with Pakistani major cities of Islamabad and Karachi.
The launching ceremony themed Silk Road in the Air was organized in Islamabad and attended by Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong, representatives of corporate sector and other officials from both sides.
Addressing the launching ceremony, Air China's general manager in Islamabad, Hu Haitao, said the Chinese national flag carrier would be starting the new service on Oct. 26.
Sun Weidong said the increasing number of direct flights between China and Pakistan will help achieve the mutual benefits and win-win results.
Terming the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as the major and pilot project of China's Belt and Road Initiative, he said, "the Silk Road in the Air will further facilitate trade and people-to-people exchanges, and the CPEC will surely boost the air connectivity between China and Pakistan."
Air China, with A330-200 operations, will fly three flights a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday between China and Pakistan.
Air China will also link Pakistan with the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and South Korea via Beijing.
Pakistan's Defense Minister Asif said there have been very strong people-to-people bound, historical relations and the friendship between China and Pakistan that has seen test of the time.
Appreciating the new addition of Air China into the multiple connectivity present between China and Pakistan, the minister said, "China and Pakistan are creating a new history in this region under the Belt and Road Initiative, we hope that the CPEC will bring the economic revolution in the region."
Air China's new route to Pakistan is one of its four new routes connecting China with different countries in Asia to be launched in October. Air China will launch its three more routes linking China with India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka later this month.
