China Southern Airlines Company Ltd. announced Tuesday in Xi'an that a new air route linking Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, and Singapore via Guangzhou will be officially launched on Dec. 2 this year.

With Boeing-757 and Airbus-320 in service, the new route will be the first international airline launched by China Southern Airlines connecting Xi'an with the outside world. Flights will be available every day.

A plane is scheduled to leave Xi'an at 3:40 p.m., and touch down in Singapore at 10:55 p.m. (local time). The aircraft returns from Singapore at 8:35 a.m. (local time) and arrives at Xi'an at 6:15 p.m. (Beijing time).

Long Li, general manager of the Xi'an branch of China Southern Airlines, said that for a long time, passengers from Xi'an and northwest China had to change flights in Hong Kong before they arrived in southeast Asia, which has been inconvenient for economic and cultural exchange between northwest China and southeast Asian countries.

Local officials from Xi'an said they hoped the new air route may help boost local tourism and further expand the city's exchanges with the southeast Asia.

Long said the launching of the international air route between Xi'an and Singapore may also help the China Southern Airlines to expand its market in Southeast Asia.

China Southern Airlines shares the most aircraft and air routes among China's major airline companies. Currently, the company runs 150 flights every week in the Xi'an airport.