BEIJING — Finnair will launch the first direct air route between Helsinki, capital of Finland, and Nanjing in eastern China's Jiangsu province in May 2018, according to Finnair on Friday.

The year-round Helsinki-Nanjing direct route marks Finnair's seventh destination in China, after Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Xi'an, Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

"It is an important strategy of Finnair in the Chinese market. Finnair continues to expand the Chinese network in line with our global growth strategy," said Robert Ohrnberg, Finnair's general manager in Greater China.

The nine-hour flight between Helsinki and Nanjing will operate three times per week during the summer season using an Airbus A330.

In the summer, the flight will leave Helsinki each Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, returning from Nanjing each Wednesday, Friday and Monday.

In winter the flight will operate twice per week.