CHONGQING, Dec. 20 -- A Sichuan Airlines A330 passenger plane bound for Sydney departed from Jiangbei International Airport in Chongqing Municipality Friday morning, marking the opening of the first direct air route linking western China with the Australian city.

The airline will operate two-way flights twice per week on the route.

Nancy Gordon, Australia's Consul-General in Chengdu, capital of west China's Sichuan Province, said that the 10-hour flight would boost economic and trade cooperation as well as personnel exchanges between the west China region and Sydney.

As an economic growth engine in west China, Chongqing has been boosting its air routes with overseas cities. As of Friday, it had 22 air links with overseas airports in Asian, European, American and Australian cities.