A passenger plane arrives at the Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport in Budapest, Hungary, Aug. 2, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

A passenger plane taking off from Shenzhen in southern China landed at the Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport on Friday, marking the inaugural flight of Hainan Airlines' new direct route between Shenzhen and Budapest.

"With the launch of the Hainan Airlines' Shenzhen-Budapest direct flight route, the number of direct flights between Budapest and major Chinese cities has increased to seven, and the number of direct passenger flights between China and Hungary has reached 21 per week," Gong Tao, Chinese ambassador to Hungary, said at the launching ceremony.

The Budapest-Shenzhen route will operate two flights per week, on Mondays and Fridays.

Gong emphasized that the increase in direct flights between China and Hungary will further enhance people-to-people exchanges, and facilitate economic, trade, and cultural cooperation between the two countries. He said this development is another important achievement in China-Hungary relations.

Delegates pose for a photo at the launching ceremony of the Hainan Airlines' Shenzhen-Budapest direct flight route at the Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport in Budapest, Hungary, Aug. 2, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Ferenc Antal, the deputy state secretary for Strategic Transactions at the Hungarian Ministry for National Economy, described the route as "a new milestone in the qualitative development of the relationship between the two countries."

"The opening of the direct flight between Budapest and Shenzhen not only expands travel opportunities between the two cities, but also gives new impetus to deepening economic, commercial, and cultural relations," Antal said.

Yan Bo, vice president of operations of Hainan Airlines, said the Budapest-Shenzhen route will provide more convenient, enjoyable, and comfortable travel services for passengers from both countries and build a new aerial bridge for cultural exchanges and cooperation in various fields.

Shenzhen in China's southern Guangdong Province has long been at the forefront of economic and trade cooperation with Hungary. Shenzhen-based companies such as Huawei, ZTE, and BYD have established their presence in Hungary since years ago.