China Southern Airlines has become the first Chinese carrier to fly non-stop to Mexico.

Asia’s largest airline in terms of passenger traffic, China Southern is aiming to tap the emerging Latin American market with its new trans-Pacific service between Guangzhou and Mexico City.

“With the inauguration of the flight, we hope to see an increase in the number of Chinese visitors travelling for leisure, but also for business,” Mexico’s Deputy Minister of Tourism, Salvador Sanchez, told guests at an event to welcome the inaugural flight at Mexico City International Airport.

China’s Ambassador to Mexico, Qiu Xiaoqi, added that “China-Mexico ties have entered a new stage”.

The new service will be operated three times a week using a 228-seat Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. China Southern won’t be the first airline flying between China and Mexico however; Aeromexico already operates services to Shanghai.