SHENZHEN, May 28 (Xinhua) -- A new air route linking China's tech hub Shenzhen in southern Guangdong Province with Rome, Italy, will be launched on Thursday, according to Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport.

Operated by Hainan Airlines with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the outbound flight is scheduled to depart Shenzhen every Thursday and Sunday at 1:30 a.m. and arrive in Rome at 8:10 a.m. local time. The return flight will take off at 11:25 a.m. and land in Shenzhen at 5:20 a.m. next day.

When this new route opens, Shenzhen will have 650 international flights to 29 Asian cities and 21 cities in other continents every week.

In the meantime, the city will have direct flights linking nine ASEAN countries and air links with 31 cities in 16 Belt and Road countries.

Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport started operation in 1991.