Turkish Airlines plans to launch more direct flights between China and Turkey, including cargo flights as it aims to tap the booming trade flow between the two countries, according to its chief executive officer, Temel Kotil, the Shanghai Daily reported. The airline, which boosted capacity by 21 per cent last year, is expected to pick Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, as its destination but it is still waiting for an agreement which will facilitate the two countries to grant airlines more routes. It plans to spend US$3 billion in buying 105 new aircraft to develop more markets, especially China. The carrier hopes it can operate direct cargo routes linking Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou with Istanbul, confident that trade between the two countries will keep growing. Trade volume between China and Turkey reached US$12.5 billion last year, rising seven per cent from 2007 despite the global economic recession.