FedEx Express has announced a new route between Asia and Europe with flights connecting Beijing (PEK) to Charles de Gaulle (CDG) in Paris, which serves as the integrator’s European hub.

The new service will provide 10 connections each week via Kansai International Airport in Osaka, with extended cut-off time for same day outbound shipments from Beijing to Europe.

Kawal Preet, AMEA president at FedEx Express, said the move comes amidst strong forecast demand, with trade between China and Europe growing to $800 billion last year. During the first two months, trade was up 12 percent year on year to $138 billion.

“This latest flight route is another example of our continuing efforts to enhance our operational strength and meet customer needs along a growing trade corridor. This will help importers and exporters on both sides build more nimble supply chains and give them better access to new markets,” Preet noted.

Customers across North Asia, including China and Japan, are expected to benefit from the new service, including Japanese businesses that are shipping urgent packages or items requiring temperature control and monitoring, as well as heavy weight packages, via the direct connection from KIX to CDG.

This new route will provide direct flight between CDG to Singapore one day a week, providing customers in the city state with additional inbound capacity from Europe of around 50 tonnes each week.

FedEx said the launch of the new flight route is part of ongoing efforts to expand its air network and leveraging the full potential of cross-border commerce. Last year, the company introduced six new intercontinental flights originating from Asia Pacific (APAC), contributing additional capacity of almost 2,700 tonnes and a total of over 220 weekly flights in and out of the region to the US and Europe.