China's Xiamen Airlines launched the first direct flight from Davao to Quanzhou on Dec. 18. The new route is expected to bridge the economic and trade exchanges between the sister cities, Davao and Jinjiang of Quanzhou.
Quanzhou, a central city in China's Fujian Province, is known as the only UNESCO-accredited initial take-off point of marine vehicles under the Silk Road. Some of the Chinese living in the Philippines traces their ancestry in Quanzhou. Davao is among the leading cities in terms of good relations with China.
Recently in October, Davao became the official location of the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China. Wang Yi, a Chinese foreign minister, introduced the route publicly. He announced that the route is bound to inject fresh vitality into the development of Davao and the southern part of the Philippines. It was in November that the two cities were paired as sister cities. It created a strong bond that deepens understanding between the two nations and it also strengthen the collaboration of the two cities on all forms.
The direct flight from Davao to Quanzhou uses Boeing 737s and the flight is scheduled to depart Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport at 9:00 every Tuesday and Fridays and it is expected to arrive in Davao City at 12: 15. The flight to China will leave at 13:15 and the plane will land in Quanzhou at 16:30. Currently, it is the only direct flight between Davao and Mainland China.
The route is expected to provide a fast and convenient flight for ethnic Chinese. It is also expected to significantly boost economic, trade, cultural, and tourist exchange between the two cities.
Chinese President Xi Jinping recently visited the Philippines which opened new possibilities and heightened the good relations between the two nations. Presently, China is the Philippines leading trading partner. China also leads the as the Philippines' export destination and import source. After the Chinese president's visit, private-sector investments between the two nations increased. The cultural exchanges between the nations also increased. China is now the destination of most of the Philippines agricultural products.
The first direct flight from the Philippines to China was launched by Xiamen Airlines in Manila on November 1, 1986. Airlines is servicing a great part of its airlift capacity to the Philippines. As of now, the Xiamen Airlines' flight network flies in Manila, Cebu, Kalibo, and Davao.
