Air Zimbabwe is slated to launch weekly flights between Beijing and Harare transferring via Singapore on November 24, the first air links between China and Zimbabwe.

The flight, a Boeing 767-200, will take off from Harare every Tuesday and Saturday and arrives at Beijing at 15:30 the same day. Then it leaves Beijing at 20:00 every Wednesday and Sunday. Total flying time is around 14 hours.

Zimbabwe was approved to be tourism destination for Chinese tourists in June and Chinese travel agencies can organize group tourists from December 15. The new route is just in time to meet the growing tourism demand, said Karikoga Kaseke, Zimbabwean permanent secretary of Transport and Communications.

He also said he hoped Harare can become a gateway for Chinese entering Africa. Founded in 1980, the airline has seven destinations within the continent. Ethiopia Airlines is the only carrier linking Beijing and Africa.

Zimbabwe is famous for Victoria Fall and its abundant wildlife reserves.

 (People's Daily Online November 17, 2004)