Russia and China plan to continue systematic efforts to re-establish the route network between the two countries, including the expansion of air service, Russian Ambassador to Beijing Igor Morgulov told Russian journalists on Thursday.

"The embassy is paying increased attention to the restoration of passenger air service between Russia and China," he said, adding that "corresponding issues are regularly placed on the agenda of bilateral consultations and negotiations, including top-level talks."

According to Morgulov, "today there are eight weekly flights between different cities of our countries, including capitals." "Another good piece of news was announced just two days ago about renewed air service between Khabarovsk and Harbin," the diplomat said. "An agreement has been reached with the aviation authorities of the People’s Republic of China on the possibility to perform flights on this route, also on a weekly basis, by the Russian airline Aurora," he noted.

"Meanwhile, the necessity to expand direct flights from Far Eastern and Siberian regions to China persists, and we intend to continue systemic efforts with our partners on the restoration of the route network between our countries," the ambassador concluded.

In 2020, air travel between Russia and China was suspended amid the pandemic. Currently, there are nine routes between the cities of the two countries. Five of them are operated by Russian companies (flights between Moscow and Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu, as well as between Khabarovsk and Harbin). Chinese air carriers service four more routes connecting Moscow and St. Petersburg with various cities in China.