New passenger flight route launched between Sanya in south China, Irkutsk in Russia's Siberia

The "Sanya-Irkutsk" passenger flight route officially went into operation on Sunday, marking the first international passenger route launched by the Sanya Phoenix International Airport in 2026.

At 01:40 Sunday, a Russian Airlines passenger plane from Irkutsk in Russia's Siberia landed smoothly at the Sanya Phoenix International Airport, south China's tropical island province of Hainan, signifying the official opening of the new flight route.

The route is operated with the Airbus A320 aircraft, with three flights per week, arriving in and departing from Sanya on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. With the addition of this new route, the Sanya Phoenix International Airport has direct air links with 11 Russian cities, running a total of 26 flights per week.

Irkutsk is located in the heart of Eastern Siberia, Russia. It is a vital transportation hub and a famous cultural and tourism city with strong tourist appeal.

New passenger flight route launched between Sanya in south China, Irkutsk in Russia's Siberia

New passenger flight route launched between Sanya in south China, Irkutsk in Russia's Siberia

New passenger flight route launched between Sanya in south China, Irkutsk in Russia's Siberia

The fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) started a plenary meeting Monday to hear work reports of the NPC Standing Committee, the Supreme People's Court, and the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, and other Chinese leaders attended the second plenary meeting of the fourth session of the 14th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Zhao Leji, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, delivered a report on the work of the NPC Standing Committee to the meeting.

NPC deputies will also deliberate on a report of the NPC Standing Committee on the work of the overhaul of laws and the proposed handling of certain laws and decisions.

In the afternoon, they will hold group meetings to review the NPC Standing Committee's work report and its report on the work of the overhaul of laws and the proposed handling of certain laws and decisions.

China's national legislature starts second plenary meeting of annual session