Direct air route launched between Henan and Taiwanthe and of The in between %26quot more Henan flight

A direct air route between central China's Henan Province and Taiwan was launched here Sunday.

The maiden flight, carrying more than 130 passengers, took off at about 8:10 a.m. at the Xinzheng International Airport in Zhengzhou City, the provincial capital.

The Zhengzhou-Taipei flight was operated by Shenzhen Airlines.

%26quot;The direct flight has shortened the distance between Henan and Taiwan, and also saved the traveling time and cost between the two places,%26quot; said Wang Rensheng, head of the association of Taiwan-funded enterprises in Zhengzhou.

%26quot;It benefits the people across the straits and will attract more investment from Taiwan.%26quot;

The province's vice governor Song Xuantao said both cultural exchanges and trade between the two sides have been on a stable rise in recent years.

As of the end of last year, Henan approved more than 1,480 Taiwan-funded enterprises, with a contractual investment of 1.65 billion US dollars in total.