JAKARTA, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- A direct flight route linking Haikou, the capital of China's Hainan Province, with Indonesia's biggest city Jakarta, was officially launched on Friday, further strengthening connectivity and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
Operated by Hainan Airlines, the route's inaugural flight departed from Haikou Meilan International Airport and landed at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Banten Province, near Jakarta, at around 6:10 p.m. local time after a journey of over four hours.
The arrival was marked by a welcoming ceremony attended by Indonesian government officials, Chinese diplomats, and airport representatives.
Passengers were greeted with cultural performances and souvenirs, highlighting the strong bilateral friendship as China and Indonesia celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties this year.
Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Wang Lutong said in his remarks that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China-Indonesia relations have maintained sound and steady development. He stressed that people-to-people exchanges are an important part of the "five pillars" of bilateral cooperation.
"China is Indonesia's third-largest source of foreign tourists, while Indonesia remains one of the top overseas destinations for Chinese travelers. The launch of the new direct flight will create greater convenience for exchanges and further boost tourism and cultural cooperation between the two countries," Wang said.
Raden Wisnu, director of tourism market development at Indonesia's Ministry of Tourism, said the new route brings Indonesia closer to millions of potential Chinese visitors. "It not only consolidates Indonesia's position in China's outbound tourism market, but will also attract more Indonesian travelers to Hainan to experience its natural beauty and dynamic development," he said.
Wisnu added that the ministry will continue to support and expand air connectivity, push for more direct routes, and introduce more convenient visa policies to foster two-way tourism exchanges.
The Haikou-Jakarta direct service operates four flights per week. ■