STORY: China launches direct passenger flight to Mexico
SHOOTING TIME: May 11, 2024
DATELINE: May 12, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:01
LOCATION: SHENZHEN, China
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the first direct flight departing
2. various of passengers at the airport
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): YUAN JINTAO, President of China Southern Airlines Shenzhen branch
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): JESUS SEADE, Mexican Ambassador to China

STORYLINE:

China launched the first direct passenger air route to Mexico on Saturday.

Operated by China Southern Airlines, the flight links Shenzhen in south China's Guangdong Province with Mexico City, the capital of Mexico.

The first flight on the route took off from Shenzhen at 9 p.m. (Beijing Time) on Saturday, and the flight time will be approximately 16 hours.
   
The biweekly flight is currently also the only direct passenger route from China to Latin America.
   
SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): YUAN JINTAO, President of China Southern Airlines Shenzhen branch
"The new direct flight will greatly cut the travel time between the two countries, thus, saving flight costs."

Mexico is China's second-largest trading partner in Latin America. With its long history and rich tourism resources, Mexico is also a popular destination for Chinese tourists.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): JESUS SEADE, Mexican Ambassador to China
"For us, China is a huge partner. Now with this (direct flight), we're going to be able to expand even more, the flow of people doing business, investment, tourists that have been growing a lot. And I hope to bring people from Mexico, not only take Chinese to Mexico. So it is very important."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Shenzhen, China.
(XHTV)