Published by: World Tibet Network News, Saturday, July 13, 1996

LHASA (July 12) XINHUA - A new air route linking Xi'an, the capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, with the Tibet regional capital of Lhasa, opened Thursday with the landing of a Boeing-757 at Konggar Airport in Lhasa.

The 1,950-kilometer route is the fifth air link to be operated by Southwest China Airlines.

At a ceremony held in Lhasa, Xiang Yang, vice-chairman of the Tibet regional government, said that the opening of the new route has provided a new gateway between Tibet and the rest of China.

He said, "I am sure that the new route will help Tibet expand cooperation with areas in northwest China, and speed up its economic growth."