A Boeing-747 aircraft left Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, Sunday afternoon for Frankfurt, Germany, marking the launch of China's first direct cargo flight from its underdeveloped west to Europe.

The flight via Beijing, which was jointly launched by the Air Cargo China International and the Deutsche Lufthansa, would be carried out by Boeing-747 cargo aircraft on every Thursday and Sunday with a largest capacity of 115 tons, said Chen Zhongwei, an official with the city government of Chengdu.

The launch of the flight would greatly promote the development of the logistic industry in southwestern China, said Chen.

The cargo volume of Chengdu to Europe increases by 20 percent annually and Germany has become the No. 1 European trade partner of Sichuan, said Chen.

(Xinhua News Agency December 19, 2005)