Despite tensions in the Middle East, Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) on Sunday launched its inaugural direct flight from Cebu to Quanzhou, China.

The new route, operated by Xiamen Airlines, will fly twice weekly on Tuesdays and Saturdays, connecting the two regions for tourism and business.

Xiamen Airlines, founded in 1984, is headquartered in Xiamen, a coastal city in southeastern China’s Fujian Province. The flight complements the 14-day visa-free entry policy for Chinese tourists arriving in Cebu.

Many Filipino-Chinese trace their roots to Fujian. Recently, Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro visited the province, where both governments signed a sisterhood agreement.