Charter flight route from Kuala Lumpur to Dunhuang launched

A plane carrying 129 passengers from Kuala Lumpur of Malaysia landed at Dunhuang Mogao International Airport in northwest China's Gansu Province on Friday evening, marking the official launch of the international charter flight route between the two cities.

The route is operated by Malindo Air of Malaysia and the weekly flight service is scheduled for every Friday.

It is the sixth international route of the Dunhuang airport, following the previous openings of flights to China's Hong Kong, Japan's Osaka, South Korea's Seoul, Cambodia's Siem Reap, and Indonesia's Jakarta.

To ensure the safe and smooth operation of the newly launched route, local customs authorities have coordinated with airlines, the airport, and travel agencies in advance to provide policy guidance and conduct risk assessments. Adopting a tailored approach for each flight, they have designed customized clearance plans.

And a joint mechanism was also established with border inspection and public health authorities to facilitate preemptive supervision and proactive services.

"We continuously optimize key procedures such as passenger declaration, port inspection, and customs clearance. We also extend the application of informatization methods including self-service declaration and CT-based intelligent image review, which improves regulatory efficiency while offering better clearance experience to passengers," said Zhi Tingting, head of the passenger inspection section under customs of Dunhuang Mogao International Airport.

The launch of the Kuala Lumpur–Dunhuang international route represents a significant step for Dunhuang in deepening its participation in the Belt and Road Initiative and promoting high-level openness.

In the next phase, the airport plans to gradually resume and add more international and regional routes, including flights to Seoul and Hanoi of Vietnam, to attract more international tourists to Dunhuang.

Charter flight route from Kuala Lumpur to Dunhuang launched

Most residents in Hong Kong have welcomed the newly implemented smoking control measures, including a ban on electronic cigarettes and alternative smoking products in public areas, saying it will help protect public health, particularly among young people.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has imposed a strict ban on the public possession and use of alternative smoking products, which took effect on April 30.

Visitors and residents alike will be fined up to 50,000 Hong Kong dollars and face a maximum six months in jail for carrying or using alternative smoking products in public in the city, according to the HKSAR government.

The alternative smoking products include electronic cigarettes, e-liquid and herbal cigarettes, said the HKSAR government.

"From the perspective of everyone's health, it's a very positive thing. I think it's beneficial for all of us in the long term,” said Jasmine Chen, a Hong Kong resident.

Hong Kong's current smoking rate stands at 8.5 percent and the government aims to reduce it further.

While some residents support the policy, others call for balance.

"We have to strike a balance. There is a policy which is understandable, but at the same time, you strike the balance against people's freedom of choice," said Gary Chung, another Hong Kong resident.

Local authorities and medical professionals said the main goal is to protect young people from picking up smoking habits.

"Hong Kong is trying to give a clear message that vaping is harmful to health and for everyone, in particular, the new generations. We hope that they won't start it. So, we want to tell them that nicotine by itself is highly addictive and also toxic to the young brain," said Lam Wing-wo, a family doctor in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong bans vaping, alternative smoking products in public areas