TAIYUAN, Oct. 22 -- A new air freight route officially opened Monday, linking Taiyuan, capital city of north China's Shanxi Province, and Almaty in Kazakhstan.

A freighter, loaded with cargo including clothing and daily consumer goods, left Taiyuan Wusu International Airport for Almaty on Monday morning, according to the customs of Taiyuan.

The round-trip flights will operate twice each week, on Mondays and Fridays. The type of goods transported via the route is expected to be increased in the future.

The first flight on the route marks the official opening of the air cargo channel connecting Shanxi with the Central Asian country, injecting new impetus into the economic and trade exchanges between the two sides, said the customs.