Beijing, Oct 24 (IANS) Citing the resumption of direct flights between China and India over the weekend, Beijing on Friday said that it is willing to promote the continued healthy and stable development of bilateral relations.

“The resumption of direct flights between mainland China and India is the latest progress in earnestly implementing the important consensus reached by the two leaders during their Tianjin meeting. It is also a positive measure to facilitate friendly exchanges between the more than 2.8 billion people of China and India,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun said during a regular media briefing on Friday.

“China is willing to work with India to view and handle China-India relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, promote the continued healthy and stable development of bilateral relations, better benefit the two countries and their peoples, and make due contributions to maintaining peace and prosperity in Asia and the world,” he added.

Indian airline IndiGo recently announced restarting daily flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou on October 26, becoming one of the first Indian carriers to resume direct service to China. The announcement was made after the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that India and China would restart direct flights between the designated cities.

The low-cost airline had also announced new daily direct flights between New Delhi and China’s Guangzhou from November 10. The airline said that the route will be operated using Airbus A320 aircraft.

On Thursday, China Eastern Airlines announced the resumption of flights on its India route, and the direct flights between Shanghai and Delhi starting from November 9, in fresh momentum for people-to-people exchanges and economic and trade collaboration between New Delhi and Beijing.

The service will operate three times weekly — on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

“The flight from Delhi, MU564, will depart at 7.55 p.m., arriving in Shanghai at 4.10 a.m. the following day. Flight MU563 from Shanghai Pudong International Airport will depart at 12.50 p.m. and arrive at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi, at 5.45 p.m. local time. Tickets for the route are now available for sale,” the airline said in a statement.

The Shanghai and Delhi route is one of the most strategically significant air links between India and China, connecting the major economic and cultural hubs of both nations.

The resumption of this service marks the full restoration of China Eastern Airlines’ network in India.

–IANS

/as