CHANGCHUN, June 23 -- China Southern Airlines launched a direct flight to Russia's Vladivostok from the northeastern Chinese city of Changchun on Tuesday to help meet demand for travel between the neighboring countries.

Flights will be available every Tuesday and Saturday. The maiden flight served by an Airbus 319 took off from Changchun at 6:10 p.m.

Trade between Changchun, capital of Jilin Province, and Vladivostok, Russia's largest port city in the Pacific Ocean, has been booming in recent years.