Kathmandu— Air China launched its first direct Beijing-Bucharest-Zagreb flight on Friday, restoring passenger links between China and Romania after a 22-year gap and establishing the first scheduled service between China and Croatia, as Central and Eastern Europe sees growing interest from Chinese tourists under a new visa-free policy.

Restored Connectivity

Air China's new three-times-weekly route marks the end of a 22-year absence of direct flights between China and Romania, which had been suspended since 2003. For Croatia, the flight represents the first-ever scheduled passenger service between the two nations, creating a vital gateway to the world's largest outbound tourism market.

Romania's ambassador to China, Dan-Horia Maxim, called the restored direct flights "a major diplomatic and economic success aimed at bringing our communities closer together," while China's ambassador to Romania, Chen Feng, described the resumption as "a shared aspiration of the Chinese and Romanian peoples."

Visa-Free Momentum

The timing of the flight launch coincides with China's expansion of its unilateral visa-free policy to include Romania and Croatia in November 2024, allowing ordinary passport holders from both countries to stay in China for up to 30 days without a visa.

Romanian travel data shows a dramatic increase in Chinese tourism, with 36,000 Romanians visiting China in the first seven months of 2025—a 78 percent year-on-year rise. For Croatia, Chinese tourist arrivals reached 250,475 in 2024, up 41 percent from 2023, though still below pre-pandemic levels of nearly 490,000.

The route is expected to strengthen bilateral economic ties and cultural exchanges, with Romania and Croatia actively promoting their destinations at major travel events in China and Bucharest.

(With inputs from Xinhua)

More from the source

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.