Dubai-based carrier Emirates Airline is expanding its services in China with the addition of flights to Zhengzhou in Henan province and Yinchuan in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region.

The Gulf carrier will start four weekly flights to the new destinations, both of which are major economic hubs on the Belt and Road trade route, from May 2016. The airline will use Boeing 777-200LR aircraft with 266 seats and a cargo capacity of 14 tons.

Emirates was the first carrier to start nonstop flights from China to destinations in the Middle East in 2004. However, other carriers such as Air China Co Ltd, China Southern Airlines Co Ltd and Hainan Airlines Co also operate flights to the Middle East, said industry experts.