An airplane heading to Moscow of Russia takes off from the Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport in Zhengding, north China's Hebei Province, March 3, 2019. A passenger flight was launched from the Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport to Moscow of Russia on Sunday. The flight operates once every Sunday. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaofeng)

　　SHIJIAZHUANG, March 3 (Xinhua) -- North China's Hebei Province on Sunday opened its first direct passenger flight to Russia.

　　The flight linking Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei, and the Russian capital Moscow, will be operated each Sunday by Russia's Ikar Airlines, according to Hebei Airport Management Holding Co., Ltd.

　　The returning flight takes off from Shijiazhuang at 6:45 a.m. local time Monday and arrives in Moscow at 3:35 p.m. local time.

　　The company said the new air route will improve the province's air links with the Belt and Road countries while promoting its economic and cultural interactions with Moscow.