WELLINGTON -- China Airlines, the carrier of China's Taiwan, announced Thursday it is stepping up services between Taipei in China's Taiwan and Christchurch in New Zealand's South Island.

The airline would run a new service via Melbourne, Australia, over the 22-week southern summer season.

The new service would see six flights weekly between Taipei and Christchurch over the summer, three via Sydney, and three via Melbourne.

China Airlines chairman Huang-Hsiang Sun said last summer's service via Sydney was the airline's best performing service on its network at the time.

"The South Island is in very high demand as a travel destination for people from (China's) Taiwan and Asia, but we also know many other travellers used the trans-Tasman service last summer and expect more to do so next summer," Sun said in a statement.

Christchurch Airport Chief Commercial Officer Justin Watson said the new service would offer 40,000 new international seats between Melbourne and Christchurch.

"It's great to see international carriers growing their support of the South Island with increased wide body air services, this is the first such service between Melbourne and Christchurch in more than a decade," Watson said in a statement.

"It will create massive new passenger and freight opportunities and drive regional economic development into many regions across the South Island."