Chinese athletes perform a lion dance to celebrate the arrival of the first direct flight from Paris by Air France in Guangzhou on Tuesday.

An airliner carrying about 200 passengers from Paris arrived at Guangzhou Baiyun Airport on Tuesday morning, marking the official opening of direct flights between Paris and Guangzhou.

The new air service is expected to bring the price of a European tour down to below 10,000 yuan (US$1219).

The arrival of the Air France A340-300 was the first time a European carrier had opened a direct flight to Guangzhou.

The carrier will provide five return flights per week between Guangzhou and Paris and increase to seven flights per week after Jun. 14.

The direct flight, which takes about 11 hours and 40 minutes, is expected to have a positive effect on tourism and bilateral trade.

A Chinese tour group started direct flights to Paris at 11 a.m. Tuesday. The tour costs only 9,998 yuan, the first time a European tour has cost less than 10,000 yuan on the Guangzhou market, the Yangcheng Evening News say.

Meanwhile, Lufthansa Airlines plans to open direct flight to Guangzhou soon.

China Southern Airlines will open a flight to France by May.

The president of Air France said the company had decided to introduce the flight because of "the bright economic future of Guangdong Province is very attractive."

Air France is the first European carrier to fly Paris-Shanghai and Paris-Beijing.

(Shenzhen Daily January 7, 2004)