DALIAN, Jan. 8 -- A direct air route linking Dalian, a city in northeast China, and Japan's Kitakyushu was resumed on Monday, after a hiatus of almost four years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tianjin Airlines, the operator of the air route, is scheduled to carry out flights on Mondays and Fridays, starting from Monday.

The air route was launched in August 2019 and was suspended in February 2020.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of a sister city relationship between Dalian and Kitakyushu. The resumption of the air route will help strengthen personnel, economic and trade exchanges between northeast China and Kitakyushu, according to sources with the Dalian international airport.