On 18 April 2026, Consul General Xu Wei attended the relaunch ceremony for China Eastern Airlines’ direct flight between Kolkata and Kunming at Kolkata International Airport. Deputy Consul General Qin Yong, China Eastern Airlines New Delhi (Kolkata) General Manager Liu Yonghong, Kolkata Airport Director Vikram Singh, and InterGlobe Air Transport Director Jitindar Bir Singh were among the attendees.

In his address, Consul General Xu Wei highlighted that under the strategic guidance of the two leaders, China-India relations have continued to improve and develop. The successful resumption of China Eastern’s Kolkata-Kunming direct flight is the latest tangible result of the improving bilateral relations. It will greatly facilitate the exchanges and cooperation between people in eastern India and southwest China, promoting mutual benefits and win-win outcomes in areas such as tourism, culture, and trade. As Kolkata and Kunming have been sister cities since 2013, Consul General Xu expressed the hope that China and India, taking this relaunch as an opportunity, will further deepen practical cooperation, strengthen people-to-people friendship, and elevate bilateral relations to new heights.

Consul General Xu Wei joined the distinguished guests to celebrate the occasion with an Indian traditional lamp-lighting and a cake-cutting ceremony. He chatted warmly with passengers at the check-in counter and presented the first boarding pass.

The China Eastern’s Kolkata-Kunming nonstop flight is the third air link from Kolkata to China, following IndiGo’s direct flights to Guangzhou and Shanghai. With a flight time of only 2 hours and 40 minutes, it is the most convenient route connecting India and China, and currently six flights are operated weekly.