KUNMING, July 8 (Xinhua) -- A new air route was launched between Xishuangbanna in southwest China's Yunnan Province and Cambodia's port city of Sihanoukville.

The route, launched on July 6, is operated by Cambodia's JC International Airlines with round-trip flights scheduled every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

The outbound flight leaves Sihanoukville at 8:20 a.m. local time and arrives in Xishuangbanna at 11:30 a.m. Beijing time. The return flight departs Xishuangbanna at 12:30 p.m. Beijing time and arrives in Sihanoukville at 1:40 p.m. local time.

This is the first direct air route between Xishuangbanna and Sihanoukville, and the fifth international air route launched by the Xishuangbanna Airport.

Earlier, direct flights were launched between Xishuangbanna and Laos' Luang Prabang, Thailand's Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai as well as Cambodia's Siem Reap.

The Xishuangbanna Airport will launch more routes connecting Xishuangbanna with Thailand's Bangkok, Phuket, Myanmar's Rangoon, Laos' Vientiane and Sri Lanka.