Emirates has announced that it will expand its services in mainland China with four weekly flights to Yinchuan (INC) and Zhengzhou (CGO) utilising a B777-200LR aircraft, starting from 3 May 2016. These services expand Emirates’ destination offering on the mainland to five, including: Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.

Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia, lies to the West of the Yellow River and to the East of Helan Mountain. With a large Muslim population, it serves as a gateway connecting China to Arabic countries, and is positioned as a hub for economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchange between China and the Middle East.

Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan Province and a major transportation interchange for central China, is an educational, technological and economic centre. The second largest city in central China, Zhengzhou’s strategic location has enabled the city to become one of the largest economic hubs in China.

“With the opening of these new strategic routes, Emirates looks forward to contributing to the enhancement of China’s trade links with the rest of the world, in particular with the UAE and Arab world. We believe the new international air links that we are launching will help create tourism and trade opportunities for Chinese business and leisure travellers that may not otherwise exist,” said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive, Emirates Airline and Group.

Popular commodities expected to be transported on these services include electronics, such as mobile phones from Zhengzhou and agricultural products such as goji berries and cashmere from Yinchuan.

As China looks to connect with the world through the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’, Dubai is well-positioned to support China in achieving the mutual benefits that will come from this Initiative, including deeper levels of co-operation and exchange, the carrier said.

Located at the crossroads of East and West, Dubai is the largest import-export hub in the Middle East, connecting the world through its strong governance, extensive trade networks and global connectivity links.Ties between Dubai and China continue to grow stronger. A growing number of Chinese banks and businesses are establishing branches within Dubai’s business and financial districts and the city is now home to over 3,000 Chinese companies and 200,000 Chinese residents. Growth in visitor numbers to Dubai from China grew by 25 per cent in 2014.

“As China’s regions continue to open up to the global economy, Emirates remains keen to support this with the further expansion of air services in mainland China. In particular we’re interested in exploring the opportunity of daily services to Hangzhou and Chongqing, and a second daily service to Guangzhou,” said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum.