On January 4, 217 passengers arriving from Busan, South Korea, aboard flight BX3795 landed smoothly at Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport, marking the official launch of direct passenger flights between Xiamen and Busan. This route serves as Xiamen's second direct passenger connection to South Korea, complementing the existing service to Seoul. Operated by Air Busan, flights run twice weekly (on Wednesdays and Sundays) with a one-way journey lasting approximately three hours. This inaugural route represents Air Busan's first international flight service from Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport and its sixth direct passenger route within the Chinese mainland (excluding Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan). As South Korea's largest port, second-largest city, and a renowned international tourism destination, Busan boasts advanced light industries, logistics, shipbuilding, and tire production capabilities. In 2019, Busan Port established a sister-port relationship with Xiamen Port. Functioning as a pivotal aviation hub within the core region of the Maritime Silk Road, Xiamen Airport has, to date, launched 44 international passenger and cargo routes, connecting 24 countries and regions globally. Among these, 14 passenger routes and 6 cargo routes facilitate access to 14 Belt and Road partner countries and regions, including South Korea, Qatar, East Timor, Luxembourg, and Chile.
