Tourists take selfies at Victoria Peak in Hong Kong, south China, Feb. 23, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Duo)

Northwest China's Gansu Province opened its inaugural direct passenger air route to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Monday, according to the Gansu Civil Aviation Airport Group. 

China Eastern Airlines operates the route with Airbus A320 aircraft. The round-trip flights are scheduled every Monday and Friday, departing the provincial capital, Lanzhou, at 8:55 a.m. and arriving in Hong Kong at 11:55 a.m. The return flight departs from Hong Kong at 1:15 p.m. and arrives in Lanzhou at 3:40 p.m. 

Highlighting the further cooperation opportunities between Gansu and Hong Kong, Wang Guiyu, chairman of the group, noted that the opening of the new air route will play a positive role in promoting connectivity and exchange between Gansu and Hong Kong, as well as the world. 

"On April 2 this year, the bidirectional cargo charter flight route from Lanzhou to Hong Kong was officially opened. Today, we are once again witnessing the opening of the regular passenger flight route, marking a new phase in the cooperation between Gansu and the regions of Hong Kong and Macao," Wang said at the launching ceremony.